How to Seduce a Lady
by Aky-san
Summary: What do you get when you clash an arrogant playboy and the girl the whole school makes fun of? Prince Hot and Bothered and shy servant? Watch Natsu seduce his way to happiness... or not. / Modern School AU / Natsu & Lucy / originally a oneshot / rated T for EXPLICIT SCENES
1. Chapter 1

**CAUTION: This fanfic contains explicit scenes and language, so don't read it if you can't handle things like that.**

* * *

 **01**

 **Stirring trouble**

 **should i continue this or leave it as a oneshot?**

* * *

Imagine having everything you could ever wish for.

You just outstretch your hand, and the whole world is within reach. You want a Ferrari? You get a Ferrari. You want to spend a month in Paris? You spend a month in Paris. You want a penthouse apartment? You buy a penthouse apartment.

How fun would that be? Owning everything you ever thought of, never looking at the price tag while ordering something from the menu, or when you're buying clothes. Wouldn't that be amazing? You could literally buy half of the people in your town, along with their families. How would that feel? Would it be perfect?

I should know.

* * *

I think that the sound of the alarm clock ringing will follow us all in hell.

That's probably where it comes from. The screams of suffering souls and the laughter of the devil watching us crawl out of bed must be what wakes us up every morning. I cursed whoever came up with the idea of people getting up with this hellish ringing, and waved my hand around until I finally reached the alarm clock to silence it.

Still feeling that familiar thumping in my head, I forced myself to open my eyes, and closed them immediately when the unwelcomed sunrays almost blinded me. My memory of last night was still a bit hazy, and I couldn't recall what I'd done for the most part of it.

Thinking about how I'd be late for class yet again if I don't hurry, I groaned loudly and decided to finally face the day. But I didn't face the day.

I faced a girl.

Here in my bed, legs entangled with my own, hair scattered across the pillows, and arms groping the blankets, was some girl I have never seen before. I slightly jumped up in surprise, still not quite sure how I was supposed to react in situations like this, even though I've been in many like it.

I quietly shifted positions, carefully removing my legs from underneath her own. She didn't stir, and instead continued that ugly loud snoring she'd been doing a while now, and drooling on my pillow. Note to self: burn it.

I somehow managed to get up without waking her, clutching my head as if that'd stop the horrendous pain I felt. Walking away from the bed with the sleeping brunette, I couldn't help but notice all the things scattered around my bedroom. I saw stockings that probably belonged to her, draped across the lamp on my desk. There was a really _really_ short skirt sitting on my armchair, and I saw some sort of skimpy t-shirt thrown on my plant.

I was looking at the door one instant, and looking at the floor the next. Rubbing my backside that got injured during my fall, I looked under me to see what made me slip and fall down like that. My hand rose up the object I picked up, and I felt the excitement bubble up in my stomach.

Leopard-print panties.

My eyes scanned the small piece of cloth, soft to the touch. It looked so small I could probably wrap it around my finger and some sports would _still_ be left uncovered. Ignoring every rational thought in my head, and instead surrendering myself to my instincts, I brought the item to my nose for a sniff. What the hell am I even doing…

Hearing the grunt of my unwanted guest, I threw the panties away like they burned me, and ran out of _my_ room, to hide in the master bathroom. I slammed the door shut behind me, not even sure why I'm running away from the girl who by now knew perfectly well what I looked like naked. Oh yeah, I was naked. But my body wasn't the only thing I noticed in the mirror.

Bite marks. All over my damn torso. Oh well, at least she had the decency not to leave marks on my neck, because that would've been harder to hide. My eyes fall upon the scratch marks on my abs, and I make another mental note, not to sleep with her again.

I put on the spare shirt and jeans I keep in the bathroom for emergencies like this, and leave it, pretending not to notice the bra hanging on my shower door.

Going back into my bedroom, I saw that she was still asleep. Deciding that if I woke her up I would have to face the consequences of my actions, I just left a couple of hundred dollar bills on the desk in case she was a pay-to-play kind of girl, and left my apartment in a hurry.

* * *

Screams of pleasure. Hands running down naked skin. Clothes tossed to the floor. Fists pounding on the bathroom tiles. Moans. Fingers running through long hair. Shrieks. Sounds of skin hitting skin. Gasps. Perverted words.

Cigarette smoke. Skirt being pulled back up. Splashing water on face. Short 'goodbyes'.

I watched as my newest 'friend' picked up her bag from the bathroom stall we had just been 'playing' in, as I puffed out clouds of smoke from my mouth. She smiled seductively before leaving the men's bathroom at the school, legs still trembling from before. I cocked my head to the side, glad that this bathroom was locked since the toilets weren't functioning. But for every lock there's a key, and for every key there's a Dragneel.

My uncle owns this school, so getting it was pretty easy.

That's how I get all the amazing grades I want, and I don't even have to try.

The minute I heard my 'friend' slam the door, I relaxed a bit. I don't know why, but I always relax a bit, after my partners leave me alone. I don't want to spend an unpleasant conversation with them, only to grow to hate them even more than when we began.

The second she is out of sight, I completely forget about her existence. What colour was her hair? How did her voice sound? What does she want to do in life? Does she have any siblings? What is her favorite subject?

None of that matters.

She doesn't matter.

I've had countless one night stands, and not one of them has ever meant something to me. And it never will.

I threw away the cigarette bud from the window, and looked at myself on the mirror before walking out of the bathroom. I am handsome and I know that. Girls adore me. It doesn't take more than a glass of wine and some smooth talk to get them to go to bed with me.

Life is so easy.

* * *

"Dragneel."

I almost let out a groan as I entered the classroom, fully aware that I was late for like twenty minutes. I slumped down in my seat next to the window, and got ready for the lecture my professor was going to provide.

"How many times do I have to tell you—"

I tuned out after that, satisfying myself with looking outside the window to emphasize just how much I cared about what he had to say. He kept rambling on and on, and most of the students got angry too, since they know that I will get away with it at the end of the day. Just like I always did.

I watched the class outside play volleyball in the sand since they had P.E. My eyes scanned the girls, watching them bounce around to hit the ball. I relaxed in my seat, tuning out of the class because I didn't need to study to pass my exams. While my attention stuck to a pretty busty girl in the front of the red team, jumping around to score some points, I couldn't help but notice someone standing on the side and watching them. It was a somewhat weird person, and I couldn't tell if it was male or female, probably because he or she was crouched down, drawing something in the dirt, with a hat covering their hair.

I squinted my eyes at the person, but couldn't see anything from way up here. But after a while, the person got up, and trotted off towards the school's gardens, where the girls' ball had fell previously. I noticed that the person in question was a girl, granted her long blonde hair. I noticed that right after she brought the ball back to the girls that were playing, she was attacked. I mean, literally; one of the girls pushed her on the ground.

I was confused, but it didn't concern me, so I shrugged and looked away.

You have to grow up sometime.

* * *

"It's Natsu Dragneel!"

"Look! Natsu!"

"Oh my god!"

Already used to the rise my presence brought when I walked down the hall, I brushed off the remarks and whispers I heard coming for every direction imaginable, and ran an impatient hand through my hair as if to signalize that none of their chatter got to me. Of course I would be treated that way, since I'm this school's top of the list boyfriend candidate. Only I don't _do_ relationships. But just kissing, messing around, sex, that was right up my alley and everyone knew it.

Girls gasp, boys cringe, but everyone looks up to me. There isn't a man inside these walls that doesn't want to be in my place, and a girl that doesn't want to be in the place right next to me.

Feeling my chest swell up with confidence, I slammed the door to the cafeteria to greet my followers.

But what I greeted was a loud thud and drop in front of me. I came face to face with a weird-looking person. She had a bowl on her head, soup dripping down from the edges and onto her hair. She had some sort of sauce splashed on her torso, and the red substance seeped through the fabric of her baggy white shirt, small drops of it sliding down all the way to her shoes. And last but not least, a sandwich lay flat on the floor, opened up for the whole world to see its intestines.

It didn't take a genius to figure out I opened the door and slammed it in her face.

Loud fits of laughter erupted from all around the cafeteria, and I almost felt bad. _Almost._

I started laughing as well, watching her wobble around herself, waving her small hands in front of her so that she could understand what was going on and what had just happened.

"At least get that bowl off her head, Natsu" I heard someone shout in mid-chuckle from the far back of the cafeteria, and I did her a favor. I lifted up the bowl so that she could finally open her eyes. But I opened mine.

Even though I could clearly see soup dripping down her forehead, parsley on her nose, and noodles tangled in her hair, it was a fact that she was irresistibly beautiful. I even paused for a moment, my hand still holding the bowl I lifted from her head. And that's when I noticed something else falling down her cheek, mixing with the soup. Tears.

She slapped my hand away before I even had the chance to say anything, and ran out of the cafeteria. While I was trying to place it in my head where I'd seen her before, the students in the cafeteria approached me one by one and congratulated me for something I didn't realize I had done. They kept saying things like 'the best' and 'amazing', but I still couldn't understand what had happened.

I strolled over to the table in the center of the hall, greeting my friends as I casually slid down in my seat. They were still talking about what happened, and Sting—one of my bros—couldn't help but interview me.

"This is the first time you've ever picked on that slob, and you did it perfectly," He snorted, "As expected from our bad boy Natsu."

"I just don't understand why she's the target of everyone's anger," said Rogue, as he took a break from reading some sort of book, "You're all acting like a bunch of morons. It's not her fault she's like that."

"Like what?" I asked, and all heads turned to me.

"Seriously?" Sting choked out, shaking his head in disapproval, as if this was something written in the students' handbook, "Nobody likes her. She has like, zero friends. She's always quiet and trying not to stand out. People even say she talks to herself." He popped a fry in his mouth, "Fucking creepy, if you know what I mean."

"So she said something aloud when nobody was there and you make her a schizophrenic?" Rogue countered, "I think you're the ones who need medical treatment."

"Why the hell are you taking her side? Everyone is either bothering or ignoring her. And after today, she got what she deserved." The blondie huffed, as if saying his argument held more weight than Rogue's, "Even Natsu hates her."

I didn't bother to correct him since I didn't even know the person, and just dug in into my burger, completely not interested in whether the girl from before was somewhere crying her eyes out. Hey, how does this make it my problem? And plus, judging by what Sting said earlier, she was used to it. One more prank won't cause her much harm.

I thought she was super pretty when I saw her, but now that I heard the rumors about her, and seeing that she was a full-on freakshow, I decided to stay away.

* * *

"What about her?" I heard my comrade comment about the brunette walking in front of us. I looked her up and down, not quite in the mood to be chasing after girls. Even though it's mostly the other way around when they find out how rich I am. "She looks nice", he assured me.

"You're looking at her ass."

"Her ass looks nice." He replied right away, and I can't help but laugh, which caused the girl in front of us to speed up a bit. We had just finished our last class, and I was eager to go home and sleep, since I didn't quite get to rest last night.

"Hey Sting," I called out to him, watching his blonde head cock to the side in a questioning manner. "I need to stop for some coffee man, I'm fucking tired."

"Ah," he shook his head as if disapproving of my late-night activities, when he was the same kind of guy. "Well we can sit down somewhere. I know a good coffee place not too far from here."

I followed his blabbering figure as we arrived before some sort of coffee shop. I glanced towards Sting, who walked in like he owned the place. We walked up to the counter, and although I could hear some strange yelling from the back of the shop, I dismissed it and ordered an Irish coffee. While the bartender was preparing our drinks, we scouted the area for victims.

One creepy dude reading what looks like a week old newspaper.

A mother and daughter cheerfully sharing bites of their cakes.

A couple seated by the window, splitting a milkshake with two straws, and talking about something.

An old lady trying to count the money in her purse.

Two girls drinking Frappuccinos, and giggling about something they were looking at on one of the girls' phone. I gave Sting 'the signal', which basically was cocking my head in the direction of our target, and he nodded. We took our drinks and made our way towards their table, watching the girls stop giggling to eye us suspiciously.

"Hey there," Sting took the lead, and I smiled as an added bonus. "Mind if we join in?"

The girls exchanged glances, and I took this time to study them.

Backpacks slanted on the back of their chairs, books taken out on the table. I recognized them to be highschoolers, by the type of material the books were covering. Powdered faces, lipstick stains on the paper cups, mascara grouping up on their eyelashes to form uneven piles of multiple layers they had previously applied, and too much eyeshadow for a lazy Monday afternoon. Good, so they had low self-esteem and had to hide behind make-up. Newest telephone models, branded clothing, styled hair, manicured nails; daddy's little girls. Which means they want us to think they're hard to get, but they're the easiest pray.

Push-up bras, lace sticking out of the overly tight tanktop, short skirts barely covering their spray-tanned legs, lips pursed in welcome. Could this be any easier?

"Sure, go ahead," they reply almost right away, and I can't help but smile at Sting's smug expression. Looks like he saw through them just as I did.

"Don't mind if we do," I sat down on one of the free chairs, and after fifteen minutes of talking, and us paying for their coffee, we pocketed two pieces of paper torn from their homework assignment, which contained their phone numbers.

Deciding that we should walk them home because he's such a nice fellow, Sting left along with them, with the message to remember where they live for future reference.

I wasn't in the mood for things like that right then, seeing as though I had had plenty excitement over the day. But with the cute black-haired one's number in my pocket, and Sting's photographic memory of her exact location so I can go there when I feel like it, I felt quite proud with how the day was unfolding, and was ready to go home.

* * *

The sight of yesterday's boxers greeted me from the floor when I entered my apartment. I almost forgot about the girl I kind of left hanging in my bed this morning. I walked into the bedroom, glad to see that she had long since left the premises. My eyes darted to the place where I had left her some money earlier. There was a note.

 _"_ _You left me money? I'm not a whore. I'm a bit offended."_

But she still took the money though. Girls…

 _"_ _You have my number written below. Call me anytime ;)"_

There was no name signed, so I had no idea who this person was. But like I said countless of times before, I really didn't care. If I wanted to 'play' with her again, I had the number, but since I don't even know what she looks like, I don't particularly want to do it once more. Some people might say I'm using girls, but I'm not. They let themselves be used. And how is that my problem?

I rubbed my temples, and went in search for an aspirin. I had no idea if I even had any. Last time I restocked on medicine was like half a year ago. Since living alone also has its cons, it can be a bit challenging at times, but as long as you invite anyone to sleep over, it's not as hard and lonely to manage anymore. That's mainly why I let girls sleep over at random, but the morning greetings fuck me in the head. Every now and then a smart one comes along though, and she disappears before I even wake up. That's how I like them.

I need a maid or something. But I tried that already and I ended up sleeping with her. It became awkward the next few days, when she kept finding random girls' clothing around the house and realized I'd been with different people. She apparently built up an idea in her head that we were together, when I wanted nothing to do with her except that one time.

Maybe if I find someone weird and unattractive it would work. My friend Gray had once told me to get an older lady as a maid, but older people just creep me out. So I was still waiting for some stupid dolt of a girl with 0% sex appeal to come up. Someone like the weirdo I'd encountered today.

She looked cute at first, but I saw her again later, walking out of the nurse's office with a towel on her head. She kept her gaze low and didn't even notice me staring from across the hall. Her clothes were somewhat dry, but the stains were clearly visible. I pitied her. A girl like that will never get a boyfriend. She'll be lucky if a guy ever kisses her, period. I would do it even if I was high or drunk. Her eyes were so wide with fear and I think she trembled. The others pointed at her as she walked down the hallway and laughed but she didn't say a thing. I hate people like that. People who don't stand up for themselves. Disgusting.

But why am I thinking about her?

I jumped on the huge bed in my bedroom, ignoring the ringing in my head which reminded me I wasn't in the best condition.

* * *

I felt horrible as I dragged my feet along the school's walkway. My black Audi R8 Spyder was parked in front of the gates, a few girls stopping to stare at it and hope that they'd be riding in it one day. Probably. I won't reject any of them. We're just teens having fun, right? Nothing wrong about that?

I pushed through the crowd hurrying to get to class, and rubbed my head again. I hadn't had a decent amount of sleep in weeks, and it was probably getting to me. The dosage of alcohol in my veins wasn't doing me a favor either, but at least I was free of extracurricular activities and I didn't need to think about that as well.

Deciding that class could wait, a took a turn towards the vending machines to get myself something to dampen my dry throat. I clicked the button next to the canned espresso, thinking that that was just what I needed to kickstart my day. Ignoring all the people who pushed past me in the halls, I searched for a private spot to drink up and refresh. My memory flickered to the thought of our school's hottest staff member. The nurse. She liked wearing short skirts and liked the attention they gained from male students. She was open to flirting, and maybe today, she was open for something else.

Ignoring the little voice in the back of my head telling me to just lay down and rest, I made my way to the office where Dr. Sexy was probably at, and knocked on the door. When I noticed it was open, I entered, but to my great dismay, there was nobody there. I decided on a whim that I could maybe use a few extra hours of sleep, and jumped on one of the beds stretched out across the room. All the beds were divided by curtains, so I was hidden from view of any patrolling teachers.

I left the coffee on the bedside table, deciding that it would be best if I drank it after I woke up, and let myself be comfortable.

* * *

The pressure on my forehead told me that someone was here. I was careful enough not to blink my eyes open from the surprise the sudden touch caused me, and instead tried to think who it might be. Alright, I think that the last thing I did was fall asleep in the nurse's office, and I was probably still there. The hand touching me was soft and small, so I figured it was a girl's hand. I swallowed hard. It's just the nurse. The _hot_ nurse, to be precise.

"How long are we going to pretend I'm sleeping?" I asked seductively, and opened my eyes.

An ear-piercing shriek almost caused me to fall off the bed, and I jumped up in surprise, not expecting something like that at all. My eyes focused on the girl standing a few feet away from me, clutching her hand like something burned her. Before I got to say anything, something hard and wet smacked me on the face. Heh, that's what she said.

But seriously though, did she just throw a wet cloth at me?

I directed my gaze from the cloth in my hand towards the person trembling in the corner of the office. I got up and moved the curtains to open up even more, so I could get a good look at her. It didn't take me long to recognize the weirdo who's lunch I ruined yesterday.

Before I even got to ask her what she was doing here, I gave her a once-over. She had her hair pulled back and hidden under her nursing cap. The oversized white shirt from yesterday was replaced with an even bigger light pink sweater, and she had these weird sweatpants on her, which I think were a few sizes too big for me even. No sense of style whatsoever.

Relieved it was only her and not some rampaging teacher, I ran a hand through my hair and relaxed back onto the bed, my eyes not leaving hers for even a moment. She stood unmoving, but her shaking stopped.

I motioned with my hand to tell her to come over, but she hesitated. "I don't bite," I said, and her small steps started toward me, " _Often_ ". She stopped immediately and I couldn't help but laugh. I realized that she'd been trying to cure the fever I didn't even notice I had, so I guessed that I should let her continue what she was doing.

She fumbled with the bottles on the counter, finally holding out a spoonful of some gooey shit I was supposed to drink. "No way." I swatted away her hand.

"It will help you get better," she mumbled, and I realized that this was the first time I ever heard her talk. Her voice was quiet and a bit squeaky. She tucked a loose strand of her hair behind the cap, and tried holding out the spoon again. I thought for a moment, and shrugged. Only after I swallowed it I realized what she was trying to pull.

"Did you poison me?" I asked loudly, watching her cower back.

"N-no!" She stammered, looking around for some escape route.

"Then why the fuck are you in here, wearing that stupid hat and shit? And who gave you the right to treat me?! I'm not even sick!" My accusations kept flying through the roof.

"I work here instead of the old nurse that quit a week ago!" Explains why I saw her run in here when I made a mess of her yesterday. "And it was my duty to help you recover, so I gave you medicine." She straightened her shirt, this time looking a bit more confident, "I can assure you I know what I'm doing when it comes to pharmacy." Some determined glint in her eyes made me believe her and drop down on the bed again.

We sat in silence for the rest of the time, and I kept watching her brand the bottles and put them away. She scribbled something in a notebook. I was bored. She was here. Why not try my luck? Even though she's a creep and I want to stay away from her, it doesn't mean I can't have any fun watching her think she has a chance with me.

"Hey blondie," I smiled, my hoarse voice peeking her curiosity. She looked up from whatever it was she was writing.

"I have a name," She mumbled shyly.

"Is it… Gorgeous?" I finished off with my signature grin, watching her cheeks redden. Ha. Too easy. "So what are you doing after this?"

"I'm going grocery shopping, and then home to do homework."

"Oh no you're not", her eyes widened in confusion.

I'm like a mousetrap, just sitting silently and waiting for her to trap herself.

"You're coming with me."

* * *

 **[A/N]: How was it?**

 **THIS IS A ONESHOT PROBABLY since I'm not getting a feeling that people will like rough stuff like what I'm planning to write about it in the future. I mean, it's okay and all but is it really worth continuing?**

 **Tell me what you think in the reviews: oneshot or more chapters?**

 **Also: should i rate this M or leave it as T? (it won't get too sexual lol)**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N]: well as expected, no work can go with zero negative comments. But i focused on the positive, and decided to continue this story and make it a series. Thank you everyone for the huge support!**

* * *

 **02**

 **Step aside**

* * *

Previously, on "How to seduce a lady": _I'm like a mousetrap, just sitting silently and waiting for her to trap herself._ _"You're coming with me."_

* * *

"With you?" She echoed, her words bouncing off mine. Alright blondie, now's the time when you give in to my prince charming act and let me sweep you off your feet, before I throw you back to the floor where you belong. This is almost too easy.

She got up and walked towards me, fully uncovering the curtain that divided me from the rest of the room, "Since you're saying things like that, it looks to me that you're perfectly fine." I almost fell my jaw drop, "Go ahead and run off to class now, since I'm not allowed to keep students here are aren't sick or bruised."

"But my heart is bruised by you," I attempted again, this time almost certain that she would fall for it.

"Then I suggest you seek help from a cardiologist." She deadpanned, walking away to continue doing whatever it was she was doing. I decided that I shouldn't waste any more time on a person like her, and got up, ready to leave.

But just as I was about to head out, I turned around for one last survey of the subject. Since she's wearing clothes that could fit both of us together, it means she's a lot fatter than she looks. And judging by the fact that she's always alone it means she has a hideous personality. She's not hot, she's not a slut, so she's not my type. I have no business with her whatsoever.

"Hey blondie", I mumbled, watching her look up from her notes, a few blonde hairs falling across her face from the sudden movement, "how come you're not going to class?"

She pushed her unkempt hair back under the hat, "I have a straight A report card, I'm the top of the school, I've never been absent for one day in my whole life, and I know all the stuff we haven't even begun learning." I felt my brain pop, "So since the school hasn't found anyone to hire yet, I'll be keeping watch here instead of going to class for the next few days, until they get a replacement. They let me go to a few classes yesterday—" and I remembered seeing her outside on her PE class, which is why I thought she looked familiar, "—but henceforth I will only be sitting here."

"Well that's quite the deal you have going for you, eh? Not going to classes and all that."

"And you go?" She challenged.

"Touché."

I stayed there for a while longer, just staring at this weird creature, noticing that she blushed from my gaze. So behind all this crazy exterior you're still human, huh? I know your type. You act as though you're cold and you don't care on the outside, when on the inside, you're just the kind of crybaby I saw yesterday.

I slammed the door on my way out, wanting nothing to do with her.

* * *

"So, you're a cheerleader?" I asked the girl in front of me, her light brown hair swaying in the wind, along with the super short skirt of her uniform. She nodded bashfully, looking around to see if there was anyone watching us. But there wasn't. I picked my surroundings very carefully; that's why I lead her to the back of the school. Her other cheerleader friends were in the front yard, practicing their routine or whatever, and here she was. My latest victim. I think I heard her mention her name, but I wasn't paying attention.

I reached out to run my hand down her back, stopping when I'd gotten a firm grip on her waist. "I guess all that work pays off for a body as amazing as this." She flushed red, her hands encircling me at the back of my neck. I didn't even have to try. She did it all on her own. She stood up on her toes so that her head leveled with mine to some extent, and without further ado, clashed her overly-lipstick-ed lips on mine.

I welcomed her with open arms. And an open mouth, at that. Feeling that I should waste no time, I let my hands wander under her shirt, and she did nothing to stop me. I leaned against the wall, not really caring if she was comfortable kissing me like this, since she has to step up even higher. But she didn't protest. On the contrary, her hands retracted from my back, just so she could unhook her bra, even though I knew perfectly well how to do that myself.

My hands started moving upwards, leaving a hot trail of goosebumps everywhere, and before I could touch her prized possessions, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. "Sorry," I mumbled, pushing her away a bit too roughly. But she didn't complain. Of course not.

It was a text from Sting, saying what we were supposed to meet after school, and that he and Rogue will be waiting for me in front of the gates. Apparently we were supposed to go somewhere. I checked my watch, and noticed that the class which I was supposed to be at will finish in a few minutes. "I have to go," I said, not really waiting for the girl's response.

* * *

I had been waiting for fifteen minutes before I remembered that we were supposed to have Biology right now. I forgot we had five classes today. Groaning because I let a good chance with that cheerleader slip away, I was completely powerless and alone. I leaned on the gates, when the doors to the school suddenly opened, and two heads reappeared.

Well, well, well, if it wasn't our very favorite school nurse in training. I eyed her top to bottom, although nothing had really changed on her in the past hour, except the fact that she had her hair in a ponytail now, and the ridiculous hat was gone. I watched her go down the walkway leading towards me with a teacher I recognized as our chemistry professor. Why the hell is she walking with him so carefree? Does she know he could have hidden intentions. Well, to be fair, nobody would have hidden intentions when it came to her.

I watched them pass by me, and it irritated me a little that she didn't even stop to say hello or something; like she totally didn't acknowledge my existence. She talked cheerfully with him, and that's when I noticed that the professors were probably the only ones who didn't hate her and pick on her.

I guess even a hopeless troll like her has someone she can trust.

* * *

Turns out the only reason Sting called me was to inform me that I would act as his personal chauffer tonight and take him to some sort of party. I hated the fact that he literally ruined every car his parents ever bought him, and I was always stuck doing him favors.

We rode towards the house of whoever it was that hosted that party, as I was explaining to Sting that _no, I don't want to go._ He could be persistent, but I was the more stubborn one out of the both of us. We were arguing about it, when the conversation suddenly took a different turn.

"So, I heard you talked to that weird girl," he said, and I almost drove past a red light.

"How the fuck do you know that?" Having no intentions of telling him about that stupid encounter, I had hoped he would never find out. But that was Sting after all, he could dig up more information than your typical neighborhood grandmother who acts as a surveillance camera every day.

"A little birdie told me!" He shouted, but when he saw that I wasn't laughing, he rolled his eyes, "Ugh you're no fun. Rogue said he was going to the bathroom when he saw you talking to her in the nurse's office or whatever."

Having prepared no excuse whatsoever, I decided to go with the truth, "Yeah, I did."

He almost jumped out of his seat. "No way! What is she like, dude? Is she really weird and delusional?"

"Delusional might be the best word out there for a girl like her." I agreed, but for all the wrong reasons. Sting probably thought she was delusional because of all the rumors he'd heard, but I thought she was delusional because she'd stepped away from the Natsu Dragneel. Nobody ever walks away from _The_ Natsu Dragneel.

I dropped Sting off, and even though he asked me about a thousand times, I said that I was too busy, and decided to go home for my own round of fun.

* * *

The next morning I woke up with a hangover. Same old, same old…

I paced around the house, looking for evidence of whoever slept over last night. When I scanned it from top to bottom and didn't find anything, I remembered why. Last night I'd decided to drink first, and then call someone over, but when I'd searched for a number, the only one I could find was from last night's girl which took off with my money.

I called her thinking that it didn't really matter who it was, but she didn't answer. Persuading myself that she was maybe busy or something, I'd drunk ever more, and then probably passed out on the couch or whatever.

The fact that I woke up with a huge bruise on my hand told me that it had been a rough night. But not in the good way.

I hopped into my car, driving towards school even though I didn't feel well enough to go. Pretending that everything was fine in front of the girls who greeted me at the gates, I took the first left on the second floor of the school, and ended up right back where I started.

Not even doing as much as knocking on the door, I slammed it open, startling everyone who was inside. Here we go, back to square one. Even though I promised myself. Even though I didn't want to. Even though I'd gone through the trouble to stop for some medicine myself, instead of doing this.

"You again," I watched her eyes widen in surprise as she turned around to face me. On today's menu we had an oversized blue hoodie, wide jeans that I could probably wear too, and some sort of ugly brown driving moccasins. Her hair was tied in two pigtails, but the top of her head was covered with that stupid hat from yesterday. I almost felt my stomach turn at the sight, but walked in and closed the door nonetheless.

This time, I wasn't alone. There was some girl stretched out on one of the beds, and the blondie was doing something to her knee. She turned back to work, and didn't even take any notice that I sat down on my bed from yesterday, leaving the curtains off this time. I watched as the other girl winced in pain.

"What are you doing to her?" I asked, the other girl looking at me with wide eyes. Here it comes. One. Two. Thr—

"OH MY GOD!" She shouted, smoothing her black hair down so she'd look more presentable, "You're Natsu Dragneel!" Her smile stretched out for miles, and I felt like this finally got interesting.

"I'm disinfecting her knee." The blonde one continued to do whatever she was doing, and paid no mind to the other girl's words. But I did.

"Yeah, that's me." I smiled my signature million dollar smile, watching her swoon.

"I'm a big fan!" She mumbled, looking away as though she was shy, when she wasn't. "I'm Macey, and I do gymnastics." She emphasized the last word, a dangerous glint in her eyes daring me to move. _Try me,_ I could read from her eyes, and my grin stretched further.

I was imagining all the different poses she could stretch her lovely body in, when our nurse left the room saying she needed to get some whatever from wherever.

Chance.

I jumped off the bed right away, wasting no time to walk up towards Marcie or whatever her name was. Setting my hands on both sides of her half-lying figure, I rose one leg up, setting it on the bed in between her own. She only spread them father, reaching for the collar of my shirt, and pulling me down so my lips could take hers. We didn't bother keeping quiet, and I guessed that whoever was out there could probably hear us. I ran my hand down her arm, transitioning it to her waste, as she made a move to take off my shirt. I paid no attention the fact that her kissing was sloppy and her lips were chapped. We didn't even stop for air, as I applied more pressure towards her body and—

A loud crash interrupted our make out session, and both of us stopped what we were doing to cast a panicked look towards the door. The blondie from before had just dropped down a tray of medical stuff on the floor, and was staring at us as though we murdered someone. The girl under me slowly slid away and left the room in a hurry, but not before mouthing 'call me' even though we both knew I didn't have her phone number.

My attention turned back to the temporary nurse, and I couldn't help but glare at her. Why the hell did she go and do that? She fucking ruined my opportunity. Seeing that I was blaming her for what happened, she hurriedly crouched down to pick up the scattered objects. She was in a frenzy, her arms shaking and her eyes wandering from side to side.

"You have to excuse me, I didn't know you were in that kind of relationship—I was just trying to help her with her knee and—you seemed like you didn't know each other—I never thought something like that would happen—I would've given you privacy—you can't do that in here though—once again, excuse me—" her blabbering continued on and on, but I paid no attention to it. Casting one glace at the stuff on the floor and the fact that she had spilled something, I decided against helping her clean up, and just lying on one of the beds like I'd came here to do.

She didn't say anything after that, and kept working in silence, but none of us could deny the heavy awkward atmosphere that lingered in the room, as we pretended not to notice each other.

Since I was bored and had nothing to do, I got up and wandered around the room, feeling the effects of my aspirin slowly subside. I walked past the countless bottles lined up on the counter, the pills and capsules in the cupboards, and many other things hidden within the depth of the drawers. Even though I noticed she was watching my every move with a scared expression, I still didn't stop. She was panicking since I might break something. I took up a bottle of some sort of brown liquid in my hands, and balanced it on my forefinger, watching her cower in fear.

Suddenly putting back the bottle and walking up to her desk, I could tell that her walls of caution doubled in thickness. I watched her try and pretend that she wasn't stressed out about the fact that I was standing right over her as she was mixing some powder in a bottle of water. Her hands started trembling, and I almost laughed at how hard she was trying to concentrate on her mission.

Deciding that I should have some more fun with her, I stood behind her back, placing both of my hands on the table from each side of her body. I leaned in, my mouth only a few centimeters away from her ear. I blew a handful of hot air, watching goosebumps appear on her hands as she worked. "You look hot when you do that."

She stopped abruptly. This was too easy.

Thinking about her ridiculous reactions, I let my hand lay over her own, and next thing I knew, I was sitting down on the floor with her towering high above me. "Don't touch me." Her voice was shaky but serious. "Please don't touch me with the same hands you used to feel up your girlfriend earlier."

"She's not my girlfriend, what the fuck? You were there when she introduced herself." Her eyes widened in horror, "She doesn't have to be my girlfriend for me to make out with her."

Her gaze dropped to her hands as I pushed myself up. I stared down at her in disapproval, clicking my tongue. She didn't dare look up as I walked out of the room and slammed my door after me.

* * *

"Alright let me get this straight," Sting mumbled, lifting his head from the burger he'd been scarfing down just a minute ago, "You're telling me that she pushed you?"

I nodded in agreement, my mouth too full with my own sandwich to answer. I watched him grit his teeth in annoyance, before whispering something to himself, and then looking back at me, "Don't worry about it." He said, even though I didn't worry at all, "I'll take care of it." I sighed, not really wanting to know what he meant by that.

"So how was the party?"

He noticed my not-so-subtle topic change, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, he made a sound that said it was okay-ish. I didn't ask any further questions, and we sat in silence.

I started hanging out with him when my best friend Gray left on some sort of student exchange program in France or whatever, and it's been five months since then. He will return in a few weeks, and I couldn't wait to see him and stop playing house with this blonde dude sitting right next to me. He was my kind of guy by interests, but to be honest, he was stupid.

And I was amazingly smart.

I'd been on my way out of the campus when I got a call from a number I didn't have registered in my contacts. I hesitated for a moment, but remembering that I was the toughest guy around here and nobody couldn't do anything to me, I answered the call.

"Hii" a feminine voice shouted before I even got to say anything. "I had a missed call from you Natsu." No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't distinguish her voice, "How rude of you to leave me money like that! I'm not a prostitute, you know." She clicked her tongue.

Oh, so it was the one I slept with and left money for in my room. The one whose clothes were scattered on the floor. "Hey," I replied, remembering that I'd called her last night but she hadn't replied.

And as though she was reading my mind, she spoke, "I was with my dorm-mate last night. We watched some sort of movie and I didn't see that you called. Sorry."

I kind of regretted answering. At the rate things were going now, she would soon ask me—

"Wanna come over?"

I debated it for a second. I was supposed to go with Sting and Rogue to some sports shop or whatever, but this invitation was appealing as well. And while I'd have to drive them to the shop, the school's dorms were located right behind the school, and it was a lot faster. That and I hadn't had enough action for today.

The decision was easy.

"I'm in room 12B"

I left a quick text on Rogue's phone saying something came up and we'd go some other day, and made my way towards the dorms. I was careful enough not to let any teachers see me take the stairs towards the Girls Restricted Area. The moment I went up, I heard numerous gasps and gushes by the girls crowding in the hallways, and couldn't help but smirk as they all whispered about the handsome man that was freely walking the halls, aware that no girl would dare turn me in if they wanted a piece of this body some time in the future.

Knocking on the door of the room she'd specified, I felt a huge smile appear on my face.

And then disappear in the blink of an eye.

"What are you doing here?" I shouted, staring at the idiot before me.

"I live here!" She shouted, making a move to slam the door when I impulsively put my foot in to stop her. Why the hell did I do that?

I watched speechless and the blondie from the nursing office stood hiding behind the door, the only thing peeking out being her head as she watched me with careful eyes. I was about to repeat my question when someone appeared behind her. It was the girl I left the money for. The one I slept with. The one who's underwear was lying on my floor a few days ago. The one who's roommate was obviously this tiny girl hiding from me. Shit.

"That was quick, Natsu," She chirped, not noticing the heavy tension between me and blondie. She made a run for me, when the blonde one shouted in panic.

"Oh my God, you slept with him too?"

The brunette stopped abruptly, turning around to look at her roommate. "What do you mean _too?"_ And before I could even register what was going on, she pulled the replacement nurse by the collar of her sweatshirt, lifting her up in the air, "Did you touch _my_ Natsu?!"

I was stuck between running away and helping the innocent blondie when I heard something behind me and my feet froze.

A deep male voice. Someone called the teacher. I felt the air in my lungs evaporate. Why would anyone call the teacher on me?

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

* * *

 **[A/N]: Alright, so here it is! I wasn't planning on continuing this, but when I saw that a lot of you reviewed saying you want to read more, I decided to give it a shot, and try to turn it into a series. What do you think?**

 **I think I'll leave the T rating on for a while more, since it hasn't gone into something pretty detailed yet. I'm not even sure it will...**

 **Thoughts? Do you want to read more? Should I write more?**

 **Are the scenes and innuendos too much? Should I tone it down?**

 **Someone reviewed saying it was 'gross' so I don't know what to make of it haha...**

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with keys, through flames! aye!


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N]: your marvelous reviews are what keeps me going, and making me want to write this story!**

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 **03**

 **Savior**

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Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _A deep male voice. Someone called the teacher. I felt the air in my lungs evaporate. Why would anyone call the teacher on me?_ _"Well, well, well, what do we have here?_

* * *

I felt a lump in my throat as I thought about turning around. Alright, so my uncle owns this school and they can't kick me out, but if they see me in a place like this, the news will go all the way to my mom and I don't want to bother her. Not with all that which she already has going on, at least.

Scanning the hallway without turning around, I looked for any signs of an escape room. But except the few girls every then and there, the opened door to the room of the two girls who were currently in the process of trying to understand what was going on were my only two options. Deciding that I should take my chances with the teacher instead, I stopped mid-step when I heard him speak again.

"I've heard you've been whoring around while I was gone, Natsu."

And the voice suddenly got that familiarity I was used to even though I hadn't heard it in a while. I turned around with the most dumbfounded expression on my face as I stared into his eyes trying to make sense of this sudden unexpected appearance. "Gray, what the hell?"

The person in question only laughed at me, shaking his head in disbelief. He'd changed. He was a bit taller than last time, and his clothing style improved. Instead of the old baggy shirts he used to wear, he got himself into a really tight one, and the new shiny black converse were eye-catching as well. He raised an eyebrow at me, examining me while I did the same to him. His aura was different too, and he wasn't that prankster I used to know him as. He seemed older, _more mature._ It's as though the five months or so while he was gone had stretched out for five years. He was new and improved.

"I thought you weren't coming for another two or three weeks." I replied, casually tilting my head to the side as I surveyed him.

"Yeah," he ran a hand through his jet black hair, "But I finished earlier, and I just _had_ to come back to school right away when I heard all those things about you." He said, and I didn't even get to ask what, before he cut me off, "Seems like you've made quite the little slut out of yourself." I felt my fists clench. We haven't seen each other in months and this is how he greets me?

"Hey," I gestured towards my body, "I can't help it if the ladies like what they see."

He smirked, rolling his eyes at me as though I was speaking nonsense. "You know they have a term for it now, right? Fuckboy." Some of the girls in the hallway laughed, and I felt my insides turn. I wanted to punch him right then and there, but something told me that there was more to his little speech.

The two girls I was supposed to visit kept their mouths shut and just watched the scene unfold before their eyes. I popped my neck, waiting for Gray's next move. He just stood leisurely down the hall, still not walking up to face me properly.

"Well, this isn't the warmest of welcomes," He continued, raising his arms in the air as though he was giving up on expecting some sort of happy reaction from me. "But it's not half bad either." He cocked his head to the side where the roommates stood, "They probably think you came here for pleasure, when you really did come for business, huh?" I wasn't sure where he was going with this and it freaked me out, but my mouth kept shut in anticipation. Gray shook his head slightly, sighing. "Oh well, I guess they couldn't have known you just wanted to ask around if someone wants to be your maid."

So that's what he was going for. Trying to dig me out of my own crap by saying the first thing that came to his mind. But it was too late to deny it now. I turned around, carefully studying the startled faces of my companions. The one I slept with looked disgusted, and the blonde was utterly confused.

"A maid?" They spoke at the same time, glancing at each other with repulsion, and the spark of hate that lit up when I knocked at the door seemed to flame up between them. How weak and frail was their friendship if it could be destroyed by a guy? Oh wait, I remember that the nerd didn't have any friends. So my friend with benefits was probably putting up with her only because they were in the same room.

"Yep." I said, trying to make myself sound sure. "I'm looking for a maid. And that's why I came here." I stepped closer to the brunette, "To hire you."

Her expression was a mixture of pure horror and confusion as she inspected my face looking for some small sign that I was joking. I wasn't. I knew she was going to say no, but I didn't want to push my luck and say that Gray had imagined that scenario on the spot. After all, if someone _did_ call the teacher, I would have an excuse. And these two idiots can stop fighting over me. Ah, the cons of being popular…

"If you think I'm going to slave around your fuckboy ass and clean your room," she started poking my chest with her finger to emphasize her point, "You've got another thing coming."

Glad that this was resolved, I shrugged as though saying there was nothing I could do about it and that the case was closed. She disappeared behind the door, but not before mouthing 'call me' to Gray. We exchanged glances, and for a brief moment, I forgot that the other girl was still here. My attention shifted towards her, watching that she was still struggling to accept my answer. Her eyes darted from me to Gray and vice versa, but she didn't say a thing. Thinking that she might've figured something out, I knew that I had to silence her for good. I looked at Gray, and motioned him to leave the premises. A smile crept up his face as he strode down the hall from which he came.

I turned back towards the girl, carefully analyzing me with her freakishly deep brown eyes. It's as though every movement I made was somehow registered in her inner archive. I studied her usual attire, and didn't bother to ask myself why she kept wearing baggy clothes.

Ignoring the curious looks of the few girls standing around the hallway, I leaned in on her, my chin just inches away from her forehead. She was so small I could probably toss her over my shoulder and leave. But that wasn't the plan. Instead, I placed my hand on the wall right behind her, closing in to trap her between it and my body. She looked away from my face, uncomfortable by the distance. Or the lack of it.

"Hey," I mumbled, fully aware that my breath left goosebumps on her cheeks. "Sorry you had to see that, blondie. I'm so desirable I can't even come to make a business proposal without being jumped." I wrapped it up with my signature toothy grin, watching her place her small hands on my chest. Easy.

And she fucking pushed me away.

I ignored the lack of curtesy, and decided to head back. It seems as though my moves were less effective on her than they were on other girls. I was interested in why that was so, but I didn't have time for stupid games and playing pretend with a girl like her. I headed towards the way Gray did, stopping in my tracks when I heard her shy voice call me out from behind. I turned around, feeling a smirk creep up my lips. Maybe these things just took time before they hit her.

"Um, Natsu?"

Maybe she's just slow with understanding how flirting and stuff like that works. Maybe she just doesn't get it right away, and needs time for the after effect to kick in.

"Yeah, blondie?"

Maybe she's just shy and doesn't know how to respond. Maybe she just wants me so bad she pretends she doesn't notice how hot I am.

"Do us all a favor and get yourself a breath mint."

That fucking bitch.

* * *

"Mind telling me what the hell you're doing here?"

I sat comfortable in the interior of my car, gripping the steering wheel tight with my right hand, the left one being lazily draped out of the window. I stole a look towards the man sitting on the seat next to me, a small smile playing on his lips since the moment I saw him. Gray was supposed to be in France or whatever, and his sudden appearance shocked me.

Sure, we talked a bit online, but I never mentioned just how much of a player I had evolved in while he was gone. He used to be the dominant male in the school, and I had failed to report that the role was currently being filled by me.

"As I said before, I finished the exams I was supposed to take there earlier than most, and decided to come back." I heard a small laugh escape his lips, "And I just couldn't stay away when I heard how much of a whore you've let yourself become."

My eyes left the road for a second to glare at his direction.

"What? This is tough love." He smiled, leaning in against the seat, "Somebody has to come out and say it." I watched him out of the corner of my eye, as he shuffled around the glove compartment. "No condoms, huh? I kinda expected to find some."

I felt the irritation grow with every passing second.

Gray clicked his tongue in disapproval, "To be honest, I'm more surprised by the fact that Erza is letting you do this." He threw away the empty packet of gum he found while snooping around.

"We're not that close anymore."

"Oh _come on,_ I leave for half a year and all of this happens?" He sighed in exasperation.

"I don't want to hear that from you." I snapped, feeling that it was time for me to intervene in his goody two shoes act, "You were the same as I am now."

"Dude, you can't be serious. Sure, a lot of girls liked me but I never slept with the first one I saw. I mean, I had a few girlfriends and that was it. The rest was just platonic love from some random chicks at school and stuff like that." It angered me because he was right.

"Whatever," I mumbled, speeding up a bit. I was driving towards his house, but I took the long way around. I didn't like the conversation and all, but I hadn't seen him in almost half a year, and I guess I missed him in my own way. Even though he was spouting nonsense, he was the best friend I'd had in my life.

"But seriously man, do you know how many diseases you can get from those girls?" I regretted everything I thought about him. "I mean, you should get yourself checked."

"Are you done with the advice session, father?" I mocked, spatting out the words right back at him. He laughed, but didn't argue further. "How was France?"

"Good, good. The language was easy since I already knew it before I left, but I still learned a great deal of it. I met a lot of interesting people, and let me tell you, it was as good as everyone says it is."

"Hon hon, oui oui, baguette." I shouted, and he burst into laughter, "Monsieur petit croissant? Oh la la, non non."

"Never attempt to speak French again!" Gray shouted between fits of laughing, "But seriously though, the women and wine are the best."

"Go on."

"I met this girl," he paused for dramatic effect. "She was nice and all, we spent a few good months with her. It's almost a pity I had to leave." He shook his head, though he wasn't as sad as I thought he would be.

We continued some small talk, and I filled him in on what had been going on within the school while he was gone. I talked about how I started hanging out with Sting and Rogue and he almost killed me, but other than that, I was glad to have my best friend back where I can see him.

* * *

The next day was a drag. I only came to school because I remembered that it was Friday, and the last day of my torture was here. I mean, it's not such a torture when I can do practically anything I want since my uncle is in charge and all that, but I still hate the whole concept of school. Being confined in spaces with a set schedule is not something for a free bird like me.

Gray was out of school for the next two weeks too, and I was left in the mercy of Sting and Rogue. Pacing down the hallway with those lunatics, and hearing them bicker over the argument of which one of them could beat the other in a game of poker faster, my eyes scanned the hallways for a more interesting activity. My hunger for girls had lessened considerably since Gray's last unexpected visit. He explained that he came to the school to report to the principal that his exchange program was over, when he saw me walk towards the female dorms, and just _had_ to investigate. Sneaky bastard.

"Natsu, tell Rogue that it doesn't matter that he goes to the gym when I have pure talent!" Sting shouted, shoving me into the lockers on the side of the wall. I hated when he got overexcited and used physical force to describe that. Turning around with a menacing aura just asking for trouble, I pushed myself off the lockers and over to where he was standing. Sting didn't look scared or at all concerned that he practically pushed me, and kept arguing it over with his friend.

I felt my anger arise as I slowly stepped towards him, ready to attack when I remembered that I didn't need any more detention and that fighting him was more trouble than it was worth. I walked off with some excuse that I needed to go to the bathroom, and stomped down the hallways in a hurry. I needed to cool off, since I'd been particularly aggressive in the past few days.

My feet stopped mid-step as an ear-piercing scream echoed down the hall. Class had started a few minutes ago, so I was the only one still outside my classroom. I turned around to take note of my surroundings and noticed that I was on the second floor of the west wing. There weren't any classrooms here, only inventory rooms, a room for student archives, and—

I abruptly turned towards the source of the scream—the nurse's office. My mind worked at a rapid speed as I swung open the door I'd regretted entering every single time.

My heart leaped in my throat as I watched the blonde girl from the other day yell out in panic, squirming under the weight pressed over her. Her eyes were wide open, devout of anything except the fear that seemed to spread through her body at an alarming rate. I looked around for something that would help me get the heavy object off of her.

Our fucking chemistry teacher.

When I felt my mind go blank and no other solution came to me, my body moved on its own as I flung myself onto the man who had just now noticed my presence. He didn't have time to react as I shoved him off the bed, both of us falling towards the ground, me on top of him. I didn't think twice before my fist collided with his jaw, a bone-crushing sound piercing through the room. He tried to fight back, but he was old and a little on the fat side, so overpowering him was easy. Blow by blow, I watched his face deform as the rage within me threatened to explode. I got up on my feet, not thinking as I sunk my foot in his stomach, the man coughing out blood that splattered on the white tiles, dyeing the bland room a fresh crimson color.

"S-s-stop!" I heard a light voice behind me mumble, but this man was way past saving.

I screamed out every insult I could think of at that gory moment, kicking him with every word, feeling the adrenaline rush through my veins. Fucking pedophile. Sinner. Disgusting pathetic excuse of a human being. Rapist.

I felt a pressure on my hand, swinging it back to dodge the attacker, when I felt the impact. I hit the girl I was trying to protect.

Coming back to my senses, and feeling the reality of what I did sink into my head, I turned towards the door, watching various other professors enter the room in a frenzy, pushing me and the girl out of the way. They crowded around their colleague, making him vanish from view. I inched backwards from the scene, stopping in my tracks when one of the teachers grabbed me by the shoulder.

Fuck.

* * *

The waiting room was filled with diplomas clad in old brown frames, providing proof that our counselor's knowledge was certified. There were potted plants everywhere, and a vague smell of some weird flower lingered in the room, only making the atmosphere more sickening, as I awaited the punishment to come. Did I regret it? Probably. Would I do it again? Probably.

I turned towards the shaky form on the leather chair left of me. The blonde was trembling in fear, still not assured that the event had passed, and she was safe. Her hair was messed up, and the small amount of mascara she apparently wore was smudged around her eyes. I pitied her. Her baggy shirt was covering most of her body, so I didn't know what made the teacher flip out and practically jump her like that.

"Stop that fucking shaking." I spat out, watching as her eyes finally managed to focus on me, her lips trembling slightly as she tried to form a response. "It passed already."

What confused me most was the fact that she didn't cry. She went through all of that bullshit and her eyes were as dry as the desert. Her mascara was ruined from her excessive eye-rubbing with those small hands, but even that fucking creepy event had failed bringing out tears. She might've still been in shock, but I still expected some bawling.

"Lucy?"

We turned towards the woman standing at the door, eyeing us carefully. Her posture signalized trouble, as my mind tried to process who it was that she called in.

Only when the girl stood up did I realize that she was Lucy. I had been so caught up in calling her blondie in my head that I never even heard what her name was. She strode over to the door, turning back to give me a shaky nod right before she entered.

Was that her way of saying thank you? Ha! I don't need her fucking gratitude. I would've done it if it was just about anyone else in the entire world. It wasn't like she was something special in my eyes. She was just some random girl I kept running into by mistake.

Yes. That is all.

* * *

"You _what?"_ Gray shouted from the other side of the line, as I leaned back in my chair. The classroom was pretty loud, and almost everyone and their mothers were taking about the incident last Friday. It was Monday now, and I hadn't heard from blondie since we got off the hook last week. She told the counselor what happened and I did the same, so the teacher was naturally fired, of course. They didn't have a substitute teacher though, so we will probably have to wait a while. But that was good, since blondie will probably be reminded of him no matter who she saw as her new teacher. But that doesn't concern me.

"It's fine, you'll tell me later," Gray spoke up, reminding me he was still there, "But listen to this—the girl I met in France—she actually _followed me here!_ She met me in front of my doorstep this morning! Is she a freaking stalker or someth—" I tuned out of the conversation, hearing the door from the classroom open with a small click.

The students got seated, as our biology professor made his way through the desks, standing on top of the risen platform in front of the chalkboard. "I have an important announcement. Due to the recent event that occurred last Friday, your chemistry teacher—"

My eyes widened in shock, and one look from everyone else told me they saw the same thing.

"I'll call you back," I whispered over Gray's loud talking, ending the call. I leaned forwards in the seat, interested for the first time ever in what the teacher had to say.

I watched him gesture towards the small figure next to him, feeling something bubble in the lower part of my stomach.

"—this class only, Lucy Heartfilia will be in charge of acting as your chemistry professor."

Seems like the day has just begun.

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 **[A/N]: Hello there, my favorite people! ❤❤❤**

 **Do you like the way this story is progressing? It was tough trying to capture the whole 'Natsu getting angry and kicking the teacher' scene since the only fight I've ever been included me, another girl, and a chunk of hair she pulled out from my head ;-;**

 **My painful catfight aside, do you think the story is going smoothly? Should I go on?**

 **Am I swearing too much? Haha, I would love to read more of your reviews!**

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with keys, through flames. aye.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to janellele for her amazingly long review. thank you dear!**

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 **04**

 **Fun to tease**

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Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _"-this class only, Lucy Heartfilia will be in charge of acting as your chemistry professor." Seems like the day has just begun._

* * *

This girl was full of surprises. Honestly, just two days after a scene like that occurred with her chemistry teacher, she comes around with yet another plan. A plan to make my life more interesting.

It had been bothering me the past two days, the fact that I helped her. I felt like my act was unjustified because I picked on her too. But I didn't do that. I didn't climb on top of her and try to rape her in a closed room. I may have teased her, but that was all. I mean, how could I _not_ tease her when her reactions make my everyday life more fun. I take pleasure in making her miserable. Yet, I somehow jumped to her rescue. I guess I would've done it if it were anyone else, and it was just an impulse to help someone in need.

But I knew better than that.

I am not a man who acts like that, 'on impulse' and such. In the best case scenario, I would've called for help. In the worst, I would've ignored what was going on, or maybe even taken photos. Yeah, I am a vile human being and I know it. So why act that way in the benefit of a girl I practically loathe?

"And so, I would advise you to obey Miss Heartfilia, for she will report your actions back to me, and the entire teacher committee." Our biology teacher seemed like he wasn't too surprised by the fact that a mere student will act as our superior.

"Why do we have to listen to _her?"_

"Yeah, she's an idiot."

Various remarks were thrown across the room, nobody really being pleased by this outcome. I didn't blame them. I wasn't happy as well. But perhaps, something like this could actually provide me the entertainment I need not to feel bored every time I enter this godforsaken place.

"Since our replacement teacher won't be coming until Wednesday due to health issues, Heartfilia will be your fill in until then. She is an academic genius, especially dominant in the matter of chemistry, so she is certainly worthy of occupying this spot during this day." He finished, before leaving us alone.

The second the door closed after him, loud shouts and laughs erupted in the classroom, and little-miss-teacher was having a hard time trying to control the class. I inspected her wardrobe, rolling my eyes at the stupid woolen sweater that covered her almost down to her knees. She wore regular jeans underneath though, so the part of her legs which I could see really surprised me. I expected something else, not that fine formed thin muscle.

I got up abruptly, causing the entire classroom to go silent. I strode over to the first row of desks, gesturing the guy in the front middle seat to move. "Get up." He was surprised, carefully waiting for an explanation. I didn't give him any. "Get the fuck away from this spot."

He glared at me, but got up nonetheless. I wasn't the most favorite person, since people either feared my influence or hated my arrogance. Or both. A lot of them were angry at me for stealing their girlfriends, and then tossing them away like the garbage they were.

Blondie was surprised as well, not catching on to why I was eager to sit right in front of her. Of course I gave up my anime character seat by the window in the back for the opportunity to mess with her.

Using the silence my actions provided, she turned towards the whiteboard, and opened a black marker.

"T-today's lesson," I noticed her fingers tremble as she scribbled on the board, "is the practical use of organic compounds with the hydroxyl functional group." As soon as she started, there was no stopping her. I noticed some sort of flame burn in her eyes as she turned around to face us and started talking.

"The moment I mentioned the hydroxyl functional group should've associated you towards what we call 'alcohol' commonly. There are various practical uses of this sort of substances." Her look spread a determined gleam, "Does anyone know how we can use it?"

"For drinking, duh?"

Everyone laughed at the remark, and I did too. I hadn't seen who said it, but it was funny nonetheless. Her fancy chemistry talk had almost shrouded my goal of humiliating her in front of the class. She looked towards me, a fearful expression crossing her face when she noticed my lips stretch into a grin.

"D-drinking y-yes. What you're referring to is probably ethanol." She straightened her shirt even though it wasn't untidy in the first place, "Ethanol would be a colorless liquid found in alcoholic beverages. But it can also be an addictive drug if consumed irresponsibly, and can cause intoxication." She stretched out the collar of her sweater, making more room for her to breathe, "D-does anyone know ethanol's formula?"

I blew out a gust of air to move the bangs which had fallen over my eyes, "Me + you?"

The entire class laughed, and I took it as a sign to continue.

"If the formula really is "me + you" then I can see what you called it 'addictive'." I smiled, watching a tint of red creep up her cheeks, "Since I can't get my eyes off of you."

"M-moving on," she turned back towards the board, but I didn't let her continue.

"I also heard you mention that it can intoxicate you? That's also true. You intoxicate me." The marker dropped out of her hand, "I would consume you irresponsibly _any_ day."

She flipped around, full-on blushing as she stared at me in bewilderment. She was probably surprised how I could say these things in front of everyone and still feel dignity.

"Natsu you're so _evil!"_

"Yeah man, she'll think she has a chance with you!"

"Stop teasing her!"

"M-moving on," blondie continued, picking up her fallen marker, "i-it can also be used for heating purposes. Like how—"

"Like how I'd like to warm you up at night? Yeah." I smiled, the others roaring with laughter, "Call me anytime, I can be your heating purpose. You won't need no etha-whatever when I press you against my body and—"

"Antidote!" She snapped, "yes, it can also be used as an antidote if you get poisoned by metha—"

"I'm the only cure you need, blondie!" I shouted, and she stopped trying. She swung around to face me, her head read to the ears, an angry expression grazing her features.

"Natsu Dragneel! I have no time to be discussing your personal issues! So if you would let me just do what I came here for, and please stop bothering me!" I imagined cartoon steam erupt from her ears, and chuckled. People can be so entertaining. "A-as I was saying, you can use—"

"You can use me."

She turned around ready to chop my head off, and it turned into a full blown brawl.

"I can use a gun right now and blow you head off to—"

"You already have my heart. Now you want my head too?"

She stepped off the raised platform, walking over to my desk. It was hard to anger a timid and shy girl like her, but I was totally intrigued when I managed to pull out this sort of reaction. She slammed her hands on my desk, leaning in to yell at me.

"Please shut up and listen to what I'm saying! What are you planning?"

Feeling that this was the perfect opportunity, I let my fingers entangle in her hair, pulling her face even closer to mine. I had to rise up in my seat a little, but I managed to bring my lips just an inch away from hers.

"I'm planning on stealing your breath away."

For that one small quiet moment, I felt like the world had stopped turning. The class was silent, and we were silent. I felt like the moment had stretched out long enough for me to perceive everything around me. I felt the softness of her locks tickle my hand, and the depth of her eyes go even further beyond reach. It felt like the warmth from her blood rush gushed out in the air, surrounding us in a ball of heat. And then I smelled the scent of something sweet graze my lips.

Strawberry bubble gum.

She pulled away almost immediately, making that time-stopping moment disappear. I shook my head in order to clear the thoughts that had conjured up in it.

Screams and catcalls filled the classroom, and I laughed in order to maintain the act, while in reality it was a sort of shaky laugh I hadn't ever done. It was as though I wasn't quite sure I was doing what I was doing.

I watched her back away in record speed, smoothing out her hair where I'd touched it, and facing me with the eyes of a thousand empty souls. "You're the worst." I let out a nervous chuckle, but she didn't say anything back. Instead, she kept staring at me through a prism of pure disgust. Did she actually hate me that much? Was there a girl on this planet that could hate me? No, it's probably a mistake. She just doesn't know how hard she'd fallen for me yet.

"Leave her be, Natsu," I turned left towards the girl who was sitting there. She tapped her pen on the notebook, ignoring the fact that blondie had continued talking about whatever. "I know you're trying to make jokes and insult her, but she's a werido." I wanted to reply, but nothing came to mind. The girl reached out a hand and brushed it across my cheek, stopping it there for an added effect. "Talk to me, instead."

I felt a smile tug the corners of my lips, promising to meet her at the end of today's classes. This thing… this _habit_ of mine, it was already a reflex now. I didn't do it because I wanted to, but because I'd already become used to it. I'd been a player for quite some time now, and it was sort of an instinct that I always acted upon. But it wasn't a bad feeling, I have to say. Using girls like that makes me feel alive.

I unconsciously looked back at our 'teacher'. Everyone was right. She was a fucking weird person and I should probably stay away from her. There's this aura about her that just feels… wrong. It's as though she's making herself repulsive by doing just about anything. No guy will ever like her. A nerd. A shunned freak.

I wonder if she cries herself to sleep every night.

My insides churned at the thought of that. My hand shot up impulsively towards my abdomen to cover up the spot that had hurt. I shook my head to get away from those depressing thoughts, and tried to think of the fun I'd have with the girl I talked to a minute ago.

Funny how I don't even know her name. Funny now I don't even _want_ to know it.

Funny how I just don't care.

* * *

"You're good with your hands," She complimented, and I smiled against her lips. Of course I am. Just how many times do you think I've done this before? Just how many bodies do you think these hands have gone through? Just how many lips to you think this mouth has kissed?

I put the words of Gray's preaching behind me, and decided to do what I do best. Pick up a girl and take her home with me. It was a bit tough at first, since my house was a mess. We had to maneuver around fallen objects, dropped socks, old pizza boxes, just to get into one of the bedrooms. But the bed was a disaster, last night's soda spilled across the pillows as I was trying to experiment with eating in bed. I had to drag her over to another room, and we were kissing throughout the whole time, mind you.

But I somehow managed to shuffle through the clutter and get her in my room. I shoved the door with my back, leading her inside and dropping her on my bed. Stretching out my shirt above my head, I let the garment fall to the ground, before climbing up on top of her. She didn't hesitate for a second before wrapping her arms around my shoulders, and leaning in for a kiss. It was a normal, sloppy mouth movement, tongue entanglement, spit swap. I let my hands wander under her shirt, already knowing the drill, and following through my loyal routine.

"So," she mumbled between kisses, "does this make us…" I felt my hand come in contact with the lace of her bra, "…official?"

And as though I had been burned, I retracted upwards in a sitting position, my eyes wide with surprise. "What the hell?" I watched her raise a brow at me, before leaning upwards to support her upper body with her elbows.

" _That_ the hell! Don't tell me you're just planning to use me then throw me away!?"

"Um, sorry to burst your bubble, but have you ever heard of me being in a relationship?" I deadpanned, watching her look at me in utter disbelief.

"No, but I thought I was special!" They all do.

"Well, you're not, so let's just continue where we left off and—" I leaned towards her, only to have her sweaty palms push me away.

"Jerk! If you think I'm going to continue as if nothing really happened, is that it?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Yeah _this_ you piece of trash!" and she slapped me across the face. I could take a lot of things, but being humiliated like this was not one of them. I grabbed her wrists and pinned her down, but before I even got to say anything, she beat me to it. "I seriously thought you were interested in me, you… _manwhore!_ "

"Don't you dare insult me or I will—"

"Or you will _what?_ I didn't see you do anything to that weirdo Lucy the other day when you went into our dorms! Yeah, that's right, I was there in the hallway! But of course you didn't notice me!" she struggled to escape my grip, "And we've been in the same class since the start of the year so when you asked me to join you today I thought I meant something to you!"

I flinched, releasing her on impulse. Who does she think she is? Barging into my own home and then treating me like this? If she needed a boyfriend, she should've known damn well that I'm not the guy for the job. There's always some girl like that. A girl that thinks she's something special.

I watched her hook her bra under her shirt, then get up to leave. Before she closed the door, she stopped. "And you home is a disaster. Perfect for a trash-loving pig like you."

The loud crash of the door slamming, almost made me believe she had ripped if off its hinges. I turned around to look at the pigsty I called my home. It was true that I wasn't the neatest person I the world. I kicked away the clutter with my legs, trying to scavenge my way through to the master bathroom. Once I was safely inside, I let my eyes linger on the reflection in the mirror.

I could easily see what other girls liked in me. The lean, tall and muscular build of my body, my handsome face, my abnormal hair color, my uninterested expression. They all liked the way I look, and the aura I give out whenever I enter a room, but truth is, they all know so little about me. They don't care why I live alone, where I go when I'm not with them, who I spend my other free nights with, what's my favorite band, wat kind of music I like listening to, what kind of tv shows I watch, or anything like that.

So I stopped caring about their interests as well. Once I saw that I could own every girl I lay my eyes upon, u kind of wanted to get it over with quickly. I didn't care about her feelings at all. And she didn't care about mine. A world of perfect harmony. I am happy.

I kept staring at my reflection.

Is this the face of a happy man?

* * *

"I am honestly irritated by you."

"I should be the one saying that."

I stared down my most hated blondie, wondering why she was still helping out at the nurse's office. I mean, it's almost been a week or so, and I wanted to ditch classes here in peace, but I can't catch a break from her constant presence. I watched her roll her eyes and then continue with whatever it was she was writing. But she looked kind of different today, a bit more… _scared?_

Oh right. I almost came on to her in class last time. But seriously though, what the hell happened back then? I was going out of my way to tease her, and she just had to go and make it all serious and stuff. But the whole class laughed it off, and kept encouraging me to tease her even more. I provided entertainment for all of them, even though I wanted to entertain myself only. And this girl was the perfect material.

I let my hand creep up the nape of her neck, stopping there when I noticed her flinch in surprise. She was sitting at her desk, filling in some sort of archive notebook, and she sure as hell wasn't expecting this. My fingers squeezed the back of her neck, but she didn't turn around to punch me, even though I kind of expected her to do so.

"Would you be so kind as to let me go and finish this in peace?" She swatted off my hand, "I won't tell the teacher on you, so you can sleep all you want. I don't even care anymore."

I sat down on one of the empty beds, watching her scribble words in her notebook without even once lifting her head to look at me. I couldn't stand being ignored. True, I'd taken a lot of shit from this girl, but I will not stand being treated like I didn't exist. I cleared my throat with a half-cough, and she finally faced me. Patting the spot on the bed right next to me, I smiled. "Come."

The look of pure disgust on her face shocked me.

"Aww come on blondie, I know you wanna." I tried covering my surprise with a grin. Why aren't my attacks hitting her? Does she have some sort of defense system against me?

"I'd rather die."

Oh that's it.

I rose up abruptly, and found myself standing in front of her desk in mere seconds. She looked up, showered with surprise and a bit of fear. Setting my arms on each side of the table, I leaned in so close that our foreheads almost made direct contact. A small gasp escaped her lips, and she shut them closed. She swallowed hard with anticipation of whatever it was I was going to do. Truth be told, I didn't know what to do myself. I mean, I kind of got over here with no plan whatsoever.

"Y-you're too close," she stammered, flushing red in an instant. The small gesture of shyness almost brought out a smile on my face. Al-fucking-most.

What the hell is up with her? One minute she's acting all high and mighty, and the next she's cowering and stammering like a little kid. I guess she tries to act tough in front of everyone, but cries in secret. The way I met her is a perfect example of how well she can keep her shit together. She freaking left the room screaming and crying after I spilled her fucking food. That ain't such a big deal though. I feel sorry for her nonexistent composure. This girl needs some serious protecting. She's so vulnerable. Somebody needs to talk to her and get her to boost up the little confidence she has. Right now, I am one step ahead of her. And the way she is now, I can dominate every fucking cell in her brain.

Come on blondie, fall for me so I can break you. Just like I always do.

Let me shake every fiber of your being and crush your existence in half.

You intrigue me. You bring out the worst in me. And I won't stop until I show you just how terrifying I can be.

I'm feeling some sort of gravitational pull toward you. It's probably my desire to fuck you up. Let me. Fucking let me.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"N-no." she replied after a moment's hesitation, her eyes wandering across the room, unable to look at mine.

I grinned evilly as my hand found its way into her hair again,

"Well you should be."

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 **A/N: Oh my god Natsu you psychopath!**

 **THE PROBLEM : I'm getting a lot of reviewers asking for more gruvia (just like all my other stories). Guys, first of all, Gruvia is pairing B for a reason. It means NaLu will dominate this fanfiction. Yes, there will be gruvia but it's not my main focus, so please try to understand that. **

**I'm losing interest and will to write this when I see all those reviews demanding gruvia to be in every chapter.** **Understand that this is a NaLu fanfiction. It says so in the summary too.**

 **Anyways, oooh Natsuuu why wont you understand why Lucy is pulling you in...**

 **What do you think (ASIDE FROM THE LACK OF GRUVIA DAMN IT) about this story?**

 **I really need some motivation**

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with keys, through flames! aye!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This story is getting so much hate, it's actually funny.**

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 **05**

 **Shake you, break you**

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Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _"Are you afraid of me?"_

 _"N-no." she replied after a moment's hesitation, her eyes wandering across the room, unable to look at mine._

 _I grinned evilly as my hand found its way into her hair again,_ _"Well you should be."_

* * *

Another long sigh escaped my lips. I raised my hands over my head, trying to block the sunlight threatening to blind me so early in the morning. In an attempt to find my phone on the bedside table, I realized that I was asleep on the couch in our living room. I couldn't recall why I was here, but it didn't seem that important at the moment.

I dragged my limp feet all the way to the kitchen, so I could fetch myself some breakfast and leave for school, which had started an hour ago. Picking through the almost empty fridge, I could only salvage some week-old macaroni I'd bought at some Italian take-out joint, and an half-bitten apple. I took my chances with the apple, since it had the lesser probability of poisoning me by the time I reached school.

I tossed on the first t-shirt I saw, and a pair of faded jeans, before leaving my house to give myself a ride to school. I felt my back sink in the leather seat of my car, as I turned on the engine.

The ride to school wasn't that long, but it was enough time for me to play through yesterday's events in my head once more, and get it through my thick skull that what happened wasn't a dream. That she really acted that way.

She actually shoved me away. She shoved away a person the other girls are dying to touch. I had ran my fingers through her hair, beckoning her to fear me, when she managed to push me away. I was furious. I was angrier than the time that other girl left my house and called me a pig yesterday. But I didn't show it.

Instead, I had smiled emptily, ignoring the fact that I had just been tossed away by a girl nobody would ever touch. I had smiled and tried again.

I had approached her slightly trembling shoulders from behind, peeking at what she was writing. But I couldn't understand a thing out of all those weird words and numbers. As I thought of something clever to say, she turned around to stare at my eyes for a split second, before asking the most bizarre question I'd heard in my life, ever:

"Why are you still here?"

I opened my mouth to give an answer, but I couldn't find one.

"I mean, you're not going to sleep, you're not sick… so I don't see the reason for you being here."

Come on.

Offence. Offence. Offence.

"Oh yeah, blondie? And who are you to tell me what I should and shouldn't do?" she recoiled in her chair, probably regretting her previous words. "Alright, if you're so smart, tell me what kind of medicine I need to fix a hangover?"

"It's best to get something containing sodium bicarbonate, because it neutralizes stomach acid."

"Then how about getting burned on your hand?"

"Which degree burn are you talking about?"

"Degree? What? Never mind. What about getting pregnant?"

"Abortion?"

"Then how about diabetes?"

"Type one or type two?"

Fuck she was good. She was fucking good. If this had kept going on, _I_ would have been the stupid one. I had needed to think deeper, something she won't know how to answer. Instead, she just kept hitting me with counter attacks.

"Cancer?"

"What kind of cancer?"

"Fuck. Aright, chlamydia?"

"Antibiotics like azithromycin. I also recommend treating your many partners as well, since it spreads easily."

"Muscle pain?"

"Some acetaminophen, or just a regular anti-inflammatory drug. I'm sure you've heard of aspirin?"

"Sleep deprivation?"

"Sleep?"

"Lovesickness?"

"Gun to the head."

Fuck. I had almost been sure this one would work. She had stared at me with a neutral expression, as though challenging me to go further and humiliate myself even more. But seriously, gun to the head? Who the hell even gives advice like that? I rolled my eyes at her, and she had turned away to keep on writing whatever she was writing before I started talking to her.

I paced around the room, the question I wanted to ask since the first day I met her still lingering in my mind. It was always in the back of my head, but I never found a moment to ask. I turned to face her, and as though she had sensed my seriousness, she raised her head to look at me properly since the first time I entered the room.

"Shouldn't some sort of medically-educated personnel work here instead of a normal high-school girl like you?"

"Whoever said I was a normal high school girl?" She countered, and I was almost intimidated by her stern tone of voice.

"I'm being serious. The school can get sued if you keep working here. I can get you out of this place faster than you can pronounce one of those cures of yours."

"Did I ever say that I wasn't an educated nurse?" She rose up from her seat, the fact that she was almost a head shorter than me comically coming into view. "What do you know about me?"

I opened the door ready to leave, unable to take more of her bullshit.

"Well for one thing, I _do_ know that if you can cure all those other sicknesses, you can also cure the fact that you're fucking bipolar."

* * *

I sometimes wonder how far I'll manage to go, before my idiocy gets the better of me. How long am I willing to continue like this, before I finally face the consequences of my actions?

I'm not stupid enough to think that I'll be able to live like this forever. I know that I'll wake up one day, tired of all the random girls, just wanting to live a normal life like the others. I don't think I'll ever fall in love though, and want to spend the rest of my life with one girl, but I don't think that I'll continue to sleep around either.

So what _will_ I do?

I've always hated thinking about the future because I can never pinpoint my location in it.

At least the money I have will still be there, so no matter who I'm with, or why I'm with them, I can always rely on my financial wealth.

To be honest, I am spoilt. But how wouldn't I be? Since I've had anything I ever wanted ever since I was born, I never learnt how to be a bit more generous or modest. I think my mother let me have all that to compensate for the fact that I have no father.

I kept telling all my friends that I do have one, and that all this money comes from his business, but that was a lie. Truth of the matter is that all this money actually belonged to my maternal grandparents, who owned some sort of chain restaurant across the globe. Making more money than they could handle, they wanted to make sure that my mother will never have to worry about finances in her life, so they gave it all to her. They're both dead now; died of old age. And mom transferred it all to my bank account, of course.

I never really felt like I was missing something because I grew up without a dad. The only thing I couldn't stand was when my teachers asked for _both_ of my parents to come to school, and I had to explain to them that I had only one. But other than that, I guess I never really stopped to think about it.

What got me thinking about it now, was the little boy playing with his dad in the park I'm currently sitting at. Angered by the substitute nurse, I sprinted towards the first place I could find, and that was here.

But looking at them now, it looked sort of fun to have an adult male with you. Would he talk about cars with me? Teach me how to drive? Talk to me about girls? I wonder, if I had father, would he tell me that what I was doing was wrong? Would he tell me to treat girls better? But I guess I can't really know about that.

I shook my head in an attempt to chase away those thoughts. I felt like it wasn't right to think about this, especially since my mother gave it her all to raise me the way I am now. Especially since she did it all on her own. I don't think it's fair towards her to think about how it would've been if I had a dad, when my mom did everything she could to make it work without one.

Truth be told, I don't even have a real mom. We aren't biologically related.

She says that I'm adopted, and she's never lied about me being her son. She said she wanted me to know, so I don't get surprised if I find out about it later in my life. And she just wants to be fair.

But that's what scares me the most about the world.

It scares me to know that somewhere out there, my real parents are living their lives away from me. I think it would've been better if both of them were dead. That way, I wouldn't question the reason for their departure, and leaving me in the hands of the woman they have no relationship with. I sometimes walk around town, trying to spot someone that looks like me, or I just speculate what those people would be like. It hurts immensely each time. The pain doesn't seem to fade away.

And only in those kinds of moments do I stop to think about the person I've become, and I know that if I were to face them now, I would turn my eyes away, since I won't be able to handle the disappointment on their face. I've become the son every mother who has a daughter fears.

But I act nicely when it comes to my mom. She's the only person I can't bring myself to be rude with.

I stretched out my arms, and got back up on my feet. The child that was playing makeshift soccer with his dad in the park, was long gone, the voice of his laughter echoing through the trees, and bouncing off the benches.

I smiled to myself, without even knowing why, and walked back to campus.

* * *

Even though I stared at the trigonometry problems on the board with fake interest, my mind was anywhere but on the cotangent function.

Licensed nurse? Was that what she had said? What the hell was she taking about? Was she like, secretly 30 years old and came here to brainwash everybody else? Or is she even older? Is that why she hides her body so much? Because she's filthy and wrinkly underneath?

She can't possibly be a trained professional if she didn't attend medical school previously, right? So why on earth did she say that?

I was so immersed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice the bell ring.

I silently hoped Gray would come to school faster, since I needed somebody to talk to about all these things. He didn't know about my family situation, but he knew about everything else. The fact that I don't talk about my parents is not because I don't trust him, but because I don't trust the entire human population.

"Why are you making such a nasty face?" I stopped my walking towards the cafeteria to look at the girl who appeared before me. Let's see, medium blonde hair tied into a ponytail on the side, small green eyes, three layers of lipstick on her lips…? Do I even know her?

"Uh, who are you?" I asked, trying to push past her, but she just ended up walking beside me.

"Eh? How cruel! We even spent the night together a month ago!" She shook her head slightly, "I broke up with my boyfriend yesterday, and I need someone to make me feel all sorts of right!"

Ah. That's right. She wasn't the first one to tell me that. I've even had other girls stop making out with me when their ex calls them or something like that. I'm a fill-in. An extra. Many girls have used me that way, but I guess it's fair, since I've used girls too.

If I gave her another look, she didn't seem half bad. I guess I have the lunchtime all to myself and with no appointments whatsoever, which means I can use the time to go with her and—

"I'm sorry," I stared at her until I realized I was the one who said it. "I have another thing right now." Thing? What thing?

"Ah, it's fine." A smile crept up her face, "It doesn't have to be right now."

We said 'bye', and I cursed my legs for taking me towards the nurse's office.

* * *

Her mouth moves slightly whenever she's writing. Her small, plump red lips form different shapes and push together to form a pout whenever she's made some sort of mistake, or she doesn't understand something. Her eyes gleam slightly when she's trying to focus, and her eyelids drop down a bit if she's gotten tired. If she's frustrated, her hand will drop the pen angrily, and then slide up her neck.

She has a neat handwriting. Her fingers are long and slim, something I didn't think a chubby person has. Her hand is tied in twin pigtails this time, and it's falling across both sides of her head, facing forward. If I tugged one of them, would she squeal?

I sunk my head deeper between my arms, sprawled across her desk. I sat on the opposite side of her, and sort of made myself comfortable.

My eyes trailed back to her pen, which she now used to scratch the left side of her lower lip, scanning the written page in revision. I watched her repeatedly tap her chin with her forefinger, probably thinking about something regarding whatever it was she was writing. I looked up, and my eyes met hers. Cold, uninterested, cruel – meets irritated, warm and a partly afraid. Hey eyelashes were long, circling her eye in a womanly fashion, and there was no makeup whatsoever. I looked for any sign of lust, but found none. Did this girl really not find me attractive?

"Why did you come back?" She mumbled, her eyes not moving away from mine. But the sort of tension our eye contact created made me look aside, and lose in our little staring game.

"I was bored." I answered truthfully, and leaned back my head on my arms. Staring out of the window since I suddenly couldn't face her anymore, I listened to her let out the longest sigh I've ever heard in my life.

"Is that so? Then why did you come _here_ of all places?"

"So I can play with you—" I started, getting up from my chair once I felt my flirting mode turn on automatically, "—and let my dear nurse cure my problem."

She also rose from her chair, in an attempt to get away.

"What's wrong?" I asked, already losing control of my composure. It's as though I'm not the one commanding myself. It always comes to this, no matter what girl in in question. It's an instinct. An impulse. An addiction. A game. "Or am I perhaps the one who needs to cure you—" I circled the desk, watching her step back.

"I hate it— _this_ 'thing' you become!" She spoke in slight panic, her eyes widening when her back touched the wall behind her. Nowhere to run now. "What's the matter with you? I'm not even attractive!" Her voice got a slight tone of curiosity, "Why is anyone okay as long as they're a girl?"

"Oh believe me blondie," I slammed my head on the wall behind her, setting it right next to her head, as I leaned forward, "You're _more_ than okay."

My mind suddenly rushed to a stop. Wait a second? She almost got raped the other day, and after a weekend, she's all full of life and ready to go on? Isn't that supposed to cause some sort of trauma or something? Does this have anything to do with the fact that she really _is_ trained in medicine and psychiatry and knows how to treat herself?

I opened my mouth to ask her, when I noticed that my jaw wouldn't cooperate. For a moment I stood there unfazed, before I realized that the pulsating pain spreading across my cheek meant that she had slapped me. My head turned left from the impact, making me lose the eye contact I was working so hard not to break this time. It took me a second for the realization to sink in, before I turned back to her.

I really didn't expect her to be blushing like this. What the hell? Is she mad? Or afraid? Or both?

"Y-you should step away," she said, her hand still frozen mid-air as though she might hit me again.

"Or what?" I surprisingly continued, leaning my head even closer to hers, and using my other arm to trap her both ways. "You're gonna call for help? Like that other time?" I'm not mad at her for slapping me. I'm not angry. I'm not angry. Why am I not angry?

"Why d-did you come?" She asked, her blush spreading, mouth trebling, palms sweating, "Why did you save me?"

For some reason, that question made me realize what I was doing right now. I was acting exactly like that fucking teacher was. Well, I wasn't going to force anything on her for sure, but she didn't know that. She probably thought I was the same type of scum.

"Because you were in trouble. I acted on impulse. I would've done it for any other girl." My hands slipped back to my sides, unveiling the freedom before her as she trotted away from me, "So don't get cocky. You're nothing special."

"I know that." She assured, standing a few feet away from me with a small tint of red still coating her cheeks.

I hated to admit it, but this was actually fun. Even more than sleeping round with girls, maybe.

I slammed my head on the wall, hearing her screech behind me, a surprised high pitch tone that split my eardrums. I kept hitting it repeatedly, trying to snap out of this stupid trance, and forget the last thing I thought.

She was more fun that sleeping around? Fuck no.

Fuck no fuck no fuck no fuck no fuck no (maybe) no no no no no (but) motherfucking no (really) no way in hell.

She watched me shake my head to clear away those godforsaken thoughts, as I made my way towards the exit. "Are you alright?" I opened the door, ready to go outside and hang myself on the flag pole in the school's yard. "Do you want me to give you something for you head?"

"No." I slammed the door before her, before realizing that my hand had made a move, and opened it once again, "But if it still hurts tomorrow I'll come again." She didn't have time to reply, since I had slammed the door once more for some reason.

I stood in the hallway for what seemed like decades.

I had never really known how bright the white tiles on the floor make this place look. We have large windows, which lights up the corridors even more, casting sunlight on the sleepy students dragging their feet across this devilish maze, going from classroom to classroom, never really stopping to look at the world outside the windows.

The clock positioned above the door of the room I had just exited, kept ticking away the seconds, turning them into minutes, as I stood there counting each passing moment as time went by. I stared at the hand that pinpointed the seconds on the clock, watching it rotate around its center point, and imagined the x-axis and the y-axis that split the circle into four parts.

If I were to bring a ruler with me, I could draw the parabola that would incorporate set numbers in its width, using one number to act as its focus. The vertex would probably be the center where the hands of the clock meet. If I drew a line to—

WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING

I slammed my head on the wall next to me, trying to chase away this confusion.

 _If it still hurts tomorrow I'll come again?_

What THE HELL was that!? What is HAPPENING to me?

I pulled out my phone, darting away from that lonely corridor where she would probably stay until the end of all classes. I needed something to get myself together, and fuck off that stupid blonde with her medicine and her other shit. Fucking bitch. Idiot. Fat cow.

Digging though my pockets to find the piece of paper that Sting gave me from those girls that one time, I dialed her number without even bothering to try and remember what she looked like.

"Hello, who's there?"

I cursed my mind for ever socializing with blondie in the first place, since she clearly won't fall for my charms. But oh, yes. Yes my dear, sit quietly in your little office, secured from the outside world.

"This is Natsu."

Spend your days as the pathetic outcast you are. But you won't know what hit you, oh no oh no oh no. I'll come back, more ready than ever. I'll fucking drain every last bit of your resistance, and find out the way your mechanisms operate. I will fuel your engine and then blow it up.

"Meet me at that café in an hour. The one we first met in."

I will end you, blondie. You will disintegrate in my arms. Your fucking pathetic excuse for a womanly body will kneel down and treble as I ruin your whole existence.

"I will rock your world."

I will break your world.

* * *

 **A/N: dun dun dunnnn**

 **Sooo? What do you guys think?**

 **Is this too violent? Are my characters offending you in any way? They seem to offend a lot of people.**

 **Special thanks to everyone who said they liked my writing, since I'm not very comfortable with it. I think I write too many details that aren't needed.**

 **I love everyone who loves this fic.**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!**

* * *

 **06**

 **Why**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _I will end you, blondie. You will disintegrate in my arms. Your fucking pathetic excuse for a womanly body will kneel down and treble as I ruin your whole existence._

 _"I will rock your world."_

 _I will break your world._

* * *

I didn't need to open my eyes to know that the sun had risen, and that the day had already begun. I pretended not to hear the sounds that the water made as it splashed down my shower, and down the body of the girl I called yesterday. My breathing stilled as I heard her turn off the water, and enter my bedroom, searching around for her clothes. I had mastered this tactic throughout the many times I had used it. Sometimes they didn't notice I was faking it, sometimes they did; but either way, both of the parties were satisfied with acting as though I was asleep.

I heard the click of the front door.

Mission complete.

I finally jumped off the bed, scoffing when the clock on my wall informed me that school had started half an hour ago. Even though I would normally keep sleeping at a time like this, I somehow felt motivated to go to school today for some unknown reason.

Yesterday's "appointment" with my lady friend hadn't gone the way we had both expected it to. I was irritated the whole time and couldn't relax. I hadn't known what was happening, but I decided to just let it go and try to enjoy my time with her.

I didn't.

Crawling out the pigsty I still addressed as 'my bedroom', I tiptoed across the piles of clothes all the way to the kitchen, remembering that I had failed to buy food yesterday, and drowned my sorrows in a long sigh. I sometimes hate the fact that I'm so carefree. Dismissing the awful thoughts about starving to death, I turned at the sound of my doorbell being rung. Countless of images came to mind, most of them involving girls, so it's needless to say that I was greatly disappointed when I saw that it was just Gray.

He said he had some work to do in this part of town or whatever, and that he was here to give me a ride to school. Just goes to show how well he knows me since he guessed I'd skipped the first two periods. I agreed even though I had a faster car, and left my unkempt home, trading my everyday brooding routine for some actual breakfast.

He treated me to a bacon sandwich, and my stomach growled, probably surprised that it was filled with actual food this early in the day. Our drive towards the school was silent, with occasional murmurs about the songs playing on the radio. I was still a bit fuzzy from the drinks last night, and Gray's silence wasn't helping me.

I didn't know how to start up a conversation with him since we hadn't seen each other in almost half a year, so without asking if it was alright to eat in the car, I bit into my sandwich in an attempt to escape the means of an awkward conversation.

But it seemed as though things weren't going to go according to my plans.

"How long do you plan to live like this?" He asked suddenly, the cold note in his voice slicing the air between us in half, making the temperature in the car drop a few degrees. I stared out at the houses we passed by, trying to buy me some time before answering the question.

"Like what?"

He turned to look at me for a split second, and even that was enough to tell me that he was being serious. "Like this," he unhooked one hand of the wheel to gesture towards me, "whatever this is. It's not healthy for you and you know it." I rolled my eyes, "I mean, when's the last time you ate properly? Just because I wasn't here doesn't mean I didn't talk to other people."

I waved him off, taking another bite to busy myself.

"I am more than acquainted with your life, Natsu." The anger from before seemed to transcend into some sort of worrisome tone, and he stopped talking. For a while, we were both silent, just minding our own business as if the other wasn't there. The car ride seemed painfully long, and I regretted agreeing to it.

"What I'm saying is, you need to take control and—"

"Oh quit your preaching," I cut in, waving my hand around which caused some crumbs to pollute the well-cleaned interior of his car, but he didn't seem to care.

"Natsu I am one left-turn away from the mental hospital, and you're seriously making me consider it." I stopped my angry mumbling to look at him for the first time that day. His brows were furrowed, clouding over his blue eyes which seemed to lose focus from the road ahead. He had a death-grip on the steering wheel, and for a split second I almost though he was going to crash into a building and kill us both.

The irritation of the moment seemed to settle down, and I was relieved when the school's building came into view. He maneuvered the car to find a good parking spot, and killed the engine. I wanted to get out as soon as possible, but I didn't. I felt that weird sensation a child can relate to when it's being scolded by its parents. Just sit quietly, don't move, let them yell it out, then leave.

"There's no helping it," He suddenly said, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips, as I clutched the door handle in my hand, "From now on, I'll just have to make sure you're eating and _not_ drinking away your problems."

"I don't have problems." I spat, the door flying open.

As I sprang out my seat and turned to slam the door in his face, I saw him freeze with trouble, contemplating whether to hug me or skin me alive. I knew I was being an asshole, but hey, it was the only thing I was good at.

"Well you don't look like a man with zero problems." He said at last, and I fed on the satisfaction of the sound the metal made when I slammed it.

* * *

My eyes widened with confusion, not used to the sight before me. Students passing through the hallway, rushing to their next class, making pit-stops to their lockers, and cluttering the bathrooms, unaware of who else was lurking between them. The fucking goodie-two-shoes nurse. I rubbed my eyes, surprised to see her outside her shell like this. So she can leave the office, huh? She wasn't bound by some sort of lock spell it seems.

I've seen her out a few times, like when I bumped into her during lunch, or when we went to the counselor's office, but never like this. Pacing around the halls, bumping off larger students and trying to stay on her route. Nobody gave any notice that they actually _saw_ her. It was as though her existence was erased from their memories, and I was the only one who she appeared visible to.

I watched her struggle to slip through an opening between two of our school's rugby players, squeezing through the gap with great effort. The guys noticed her, and one of them slammed her on the back as though giving her a shove to help her, but he did it a bit harder than he needed to. Needless to say the two guys stated laughing, at it wasn't long before everyone else joined in. Blondie didn't react, and gripped her bag's strap even tighter than before. I was just standing there motionless like a fucking psychopath when I heard a few girls behind me giggle.

"Look, she's coming this way!"

"I bet Natsu will start teasing her again! Poor girl!" And their laughter overshadowed the rest of the conversation.

Pulled in by my urge to do just what they had said, I started walking in her direction. But she'd vanished from my sight just as fast as she'd appeared, and it took me a minute to notice that she didn't in fact disappear in thin air, but she actually fell down. It didn't take a genius to realize that one of the cheerleaders standing behind her had made her trip. What the hell was this, some low-budget romantic comedy? The shy girl gets picked on by the mean cheerleaders, and a knight in shining armor comes to save her?

Too bad she doesn't have a knight in shining armor.

"Get up."

I guess she'll have to settle for me.

I towered above her small figure, plastered on the floor as though she actually belonged there. The hall grew silent, everyone shushing with expectance of what was to come, and how I was going to humiliate her this time. Another ruined lunch? Another flirting? The vultures' eyes were on me. But my eyes were on the girl dusting off her large cotton blouse, before looking up. Her eyes were foggy with fear, and I knew that she was close to crying. "I said, get the fuck up."

And slowly, as though picking up a small child, she gathered up her books. Her eyes found mine again, and I heard myself click my tongue. "Get. Up."

She staggered to her feet, and stood as though awaiting some sort of punishment. I wasn't going to offer my hand and help her get up, or carry her princess style, but I didn't feel like leaving her to her own devices either. So I settled for something in between, and waited until she was safely standing on her own two feet, straightening her clothes, and checking for damage from the fall.

The atmosphere was heavy, and everyone was waiting for some sort of act from me, but I wasn't planning on doing anything in particular. I stared down at my prey for a few more moments. "Where are you going?"

"I have history now," she mumbled, loosening her hold on the strap of her bag.

I started walking off, and listened to her steps echoing right behind mine, the whole school murmuring and shuffling off to find other entertainment. And instead of going towards my biology lab, where I was currently supposed to be, I moved my feet towards the memorized pathway leading to the history classroom.

* * *

"Not in the mood," I said, waving off the girl that had just walked up to me. Was it an unwritten rule that I take requests during lunch time?

"What the hell man?" Sting asked, opening his mouth wide enough for me to get a front row seat for his half-chewed food. "Isn't this sort of your thing?"

Was it?

I shrugged, not really caring about his or anyone else's opinion at the moment. Rogue seemed to say something about approving my action but I didn't listen to him either. I felt like anything I would say now would ruin the inner harmony I felt. I didn't even know why I felt so at peace but it didn't matter as long as everything was okay.

It certainly didn't have anything to do with me walking blondie off to her stupid class.

"I heard Gray got back," Rogue changed the subject, and I affirmed his suspicions. Sting started talking about how he'd kill me if I started hanging out with Gray instead of him, and about how I was his wing man and how wing men didn't leave their friends for other friends. I felt like contributing to the conversation, but I didn't really have anything particular to say, so I just basked in the glory of my positive feelings.

"What happened Natsu?" I was brought back by Rogue's sharp observation. I wanted to reply, but when I racked my brain for an answer, I found nothing. I didn't even know what was going on. "You look so happy."

"Well I wouldn't go that far," I laughed it off, and Sting joined me. Truth was, I had no idea why I felt like this. But it felt… okay?

* * *

"I'll call you some other day." I finished off, watching the black-haired girl run off to join her friends. That's two rejections in a row. I didn't even know why I rejected them, I kind of just wasn't in the mood, which happened quite often actually. I was rarely in the mood, but did it anyway, since it made no difference to me whatsoever, except helping me feel less lonely than before. I exchanged spiritual closeness with the feeling of a physical one, which was not a rare case to be honest. I knew that what I was doing was in vain, and that it lasted only a little while, but it served its purpose for the time being.

I hate being alone at night. Sleeping restlessly in a bed meant for two, tossing and turning in the sheets as though something was keeping you from relaxing. The comfortable pillows poked my head like needles, and the soft blankets scratched my skin all over. It gave me mental pain. I could handle the morning, yes. I could handle waking up alone, eating alone, and doing anything alone. I could handle opening my eyes in the solitary confinement I called my room, stretching across the bed they called king sized, and breathing in the air of another mundane morning. The smell of yesterday's vodka radiating from my mouth, the sight of my jeans thrown across the floor, and the feeling of constant emptiness. I could handle that.

What I couldn't handle were the nights. When I have to drink myself to sleep, or watch some romantic movie by myself, and keep the tv on afterwards, so that I could hear the voices of it calm my anxious mind. I couldn't handle the fact that the only thing I could hug was myself, and the only thing I could listen to were the monotone voices of telemarketers. I hate looking out the window for hours, begging sleep to overtake my tired brain, and failing to do so. I often pull all-nighters, simply because I am unable to fall asleep. Insomnia? Probably. But why? Is it because I feel like my existence could vanish in a second and it wouldn't change the rotation of the planet? Or is it because I feel like my existence could vanish in a second and it wouldn't change the rotation of another human being's life?

Or is it simply because I need to feel needed?

The prideful feeling that had kept me going through the entire day was now drying up, leaving me to deal with the routine of my life by myself again.

I stood alert, waiting for the rest of the students to leave the classroom before I make my way outside as well. My feet were dragging me towards the nurse's office, and I couldn't help but feel like I've been going there a lot lately. I slammed the door wide open, not really caring if I was rude or not. I helped her out earlier, so she didn't have the right to complain.

But what stunned me most was not the girlish scream; it was the fact that the girlish scream didn't come from the girl I'd thought I'd see. It was some middle-aged lady with a white coat and wide eyes. She almost yelled her foundation off, pointing towards me with a finger containing more rings than a jewelry store. I couldn't comprehend her animalistic vocals, as she tried calming down.

"You scared me!" She muttered, taking a grip. "What's wrong?"

"I want to ask you that." I countered, "Where's the girl that's supposed to be working here?"

She cocked her head to the side, raising a brow at me, "Girl? I don't know about that. It's my first day here." All of the sudden her white coat made sense. And the fact that blondie was going to class also made sense.

"Never mind then," I slammed back the door in its place, touching my back against it as I stopped to think for a moment.

Alright, so it's no big deal that she's not working here anymore. I mean, I can still go to the office and rest anytime I like cause my uncle owns the school and all that, so her presence there doesn't really affect my life at all. Except it does. It affects it in a way I cannot explain. It's okay to have someone who you can play jokes on like that. It's… fun, almost.

I contemplated going back in there, but decided against it, and headed towards the exit. I was too deep into my own thoughts that I almost didn't notice the subject of my anger sitting on the bench in the school yard. I walked up to her, but she was out of it. Her eyes were fixated on noting in particular, staring above me at the vast blue sky, and her lips were parted. I sat down next to her, but she didn't react. It seemed as though she was spacing out so much she even forgot she had to go home.

I sat there for a while, before my impatience got the better of me, and I waved a hand in front of her eyes. It didn't work immediately, but she snapped out of her trance nonetheless. Focusing her eyes on me, I saw a question from in her head.

"What are you doing here?" I asked it out loud, throwing it back to her.

"I um," she looked around, as though she didn't even know where she'd been the whole time. "I don't know. I sat down to rest and kind of…"

"Lost it?" I offered, a smile creeping up my lips.

"Yes, I guess you could put it that way." That wary expression of hers excited me.

The devil in me woke up at an alarming pace, even though I could've sworn I was abstinent a second ago. She caught on to my route, backing away before I even got to do anything.

"So, want to go get some coffee or do you want to drink me?" I asked, inching closer to her face, as she desperately tried to look away.

"Coffee sounds more appealing."

"Aw, don't be like tha—" I stopped to rewind the scene in my head, "Wait did you say yes?"

Her cheeks flamed, "I don't feel like going home right now."

My mouth opened and closed at random, as I let my brain process her words a bit longer than usual. So I was teasing her and she actually accepted? But I wasn't even being serious? And it's not like I want anything to do with her, especially no going out for some coffee like we're the best of buddies.

"I think you misunderstood," I started, my eyes locking on hers. I had just noticed the dark circles under them, coating her usually white skin in a deeper shade. Her posture was somehow different too, since she didn't sit straight like she used to when she was writing her files in the nurse's office the other days.

I felt my hand grip my bag's strap tighter in sync with her own. I felt uncomfortable for a second, and turned to break off the eye-contact I couldn't ever seem to hold.

"I meant we should grab a burger." And the universe hollered with surprise.

* * *

 **A/N: IT IS MY BIRTHDAY! Ah, no matter how old i get, it will still be a fun day for me.**

 **I went to the book fair to celebrate the occasion, and bought 15 books... Life is good.**

 **Anyways, what do you guys think of the progress so far?**

 **I would like to apologize for my bad grammar (someone in the reviews told me i needed to fix it), but I'm not a native english speaker, so I will make mistakes. I often see them but I'm too lazy to make a correction. Sorryyyy**

 **Thanks for reading!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I love the fact that so many of my readers are reviewing!**

* * *

 **07**

 **Turn of events**

* * *

Previously, on "How to seduce a lady": _I felt my hand grip my bag's strap tighter in sync with her own. I felt uncomfortable for a second, and turned to break off the eye-contact I couldn't ever seem to hold._

 _"I meant we should grab a burger." And the universe hollered with surprise._

* * *

I desperately tried looking out of the window instead of her. I tried to make it seem like the numerous people just minding their own business and walking outside the diner were a lot more interesting than the person seated in front of me. She didn't say a thing since we got here, and the problem was I didn't know what to say either. So we just sat in an uncomfortable silence before the waiter brought us our menus.

To say that this place was a two-star joint would be too much. It was just a regular diner that worked 24-seven and their food could barely be considered edible I guess. But it was the closest thing we could find that worked a bit later than the rest. It wasn't my sort of place, but when I suggested I get my car and drive us somewhere nicer, she said she wouldn't get into a car with a person she didn't know.

Only she _did_ know me, so I was kind of mad.

"So uh, what are you getting?" I asked, sneaking a glance up the menu towards where she was sitting. The booth was a bit small, and so was the table, so if I stretched out my hand, I could probably touch her. I shook my head to chase away those weird and unneeded thoughts.

"I'm not sure," she shook her head, eyes scanning the piece of paper. I was still trying to fathom why she agreed to come with me in the first place. I thought she couldn't stand being near me, and yet there she was. I wanted to ask, but whenever I tried formulating the question in my head, it just seemed too ridiculous. So I didn't.

The silence stretched out a bit longer, until the waiter came back to finally interrupt it. "Did you decide on your order?"

"Double cheeseburger with ketchup, mustard, pickles and fries, but hold the mayo." I pounced, my words coming out at an incredible speed. The waiter jotted down the information on his mini notepad, and turned to look towards blondie.

"I'll um," she stammered, looking back and forth from the menu to the waiter as though she was confused, "I'll just have a piece of your vanilla cake."

"Any drinks, sir?" He asked, and I bathed in the glory of being called _sir,_ as I thought about it for a moment.

"Just give me a cola."

The waiter then turned towards my companion, a creepy smile lingering on his face, "And for the pretty lady?" I snorted, knowing full well that she was anything _but_ pretty. They both turned towards me, and the atmosphere got a bit heavy. The dude that was serving us seemed a bit uncomfortable, and bent down to pick up our menus in order to buy himself some time.

"pretty lady", I repeated in a hushed voice, but both of them heard me.

I glanced at her, and slightly regretted my words when I saw how stupid they made her feel. She picked at her sleeve, looking anywhere but at me. "Water will be fine," she added, a ghost of a dead smile trying to make an appearance on her lips.

When we got our food, none of us made a move to start eating. It was as though the awkward atmosphere I had created earlier prevented us from enjoying our food. I stared down at my burger, and tried lightening the mood.

"Are you sure you didn't want one?" I asked, watching her look up to face me for the first time that evening, "I mean, you look like the type who enjoys fatty food." I finished it off with a grin, but she didn't laugh. What the hell? I was actually _trying_.

"Well you don't look like the person who would talk to a girl _without_ fucking her ten times, but I guess people surprise."

I hadn't realized that my mouth was open until a few seconds later, when the depth of her words finally hit me. What the fuck just happened? One minute she's little miss shy-pants and the next she's spatting insults like there's no tomorrow. I tried to hide the surprise I knew was showing on my face all too well. Forcing my mind to think of a good comeback fast, I almost didn't notice her cover her face with her hands.

"I'm sorry." It came out a whisper, giving me next to no evidence that she actually said it, but she did. I tried to comprehend what was going on, but I couldn't. What the hell was up with her ridiculous mood swings? I raised my hands up in surrender, giving up on trying to understand this person. Instead, I decided to busy myself with the food.

"Want some?" I asked, pushing my plate towards her, and scowling when she eyed the burger and pushed it straight back to me. "You don't have to be shy." I added, and when she didn't reply, I felt that this was the end of my patience.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked loudly, shaking up the whole interior of the place, our waiter from before turning to look at us with surprise, "One minute you're being a certified bitch and spewing insults and shit, and the next one you're freaking shy or whatever, and get all red whenever I get near you. You fucking cried when I spilled your food and now you're arguing with me for saying you're fat?" I toned my voice down a little when I noticed that everyone's eyes were on me, "I really don't get you."

She stared at me in bewilderment before throwing her own hissy fit, "And what about you, huh?" I made an expression saying I had no idea what she was talking about. "This second you're treating me like a piece of shit non-worthy of your presence, and the next you're flirting your brains out?!"

I slammed my hand on the table ready to shove an argument back in her face, and froze mid-air. She was speaking the truth. This whole time I was wondering why she'd been bipolar, when it was actually because of me. I was the one who started it in the first place. She was probably a normal brat before I spilled her food and made her cry in front of everyone, so she made up that tough exterior to try and counter me. She pretended she was some strong independent woman that wanted nothing do to with me. She pretended she could be just as tough. But every time I made a move on her, she went into shy mode because she just wasn't the sort of person. She wasn't a bitch.

"Are you sure you don't want this?" I pushed the plate again, knowing full well that I was being bipolar again.

When she didn't move to take it, I didn't take it back either. I'd somehow lost my appetite. But from the looks of it, that didn't stop her from eating her cake. I recalled the swear words she'd used earlier, not quite sure that I'd ever heard her say them before. This night was full with surprises. I smirked when I thought that I was the only one who managed to pull out that sort of reaction from her.

Blondie chewed on her cake like it was her last meal, savoring every crumb. I sat there wondering just why she was still here when she obviously couldn't stand me. We were totally opposite, and she would never be in the same room with me unless she had a very good reason. And so far, I could think of none.

I searched around for an interesting topic of conversation, when she started talking herself.

"Do you want to try this?"

It was a blunt, forced sentence she probably spoke only out of courtesy, but I didn't back down. "Sure." The look on her face told me she wasn't expecting this answer. Just because she didn't take me up on my offer doesn't mean I won't approve hers.

She tried pushing her plate towards me, when I opened my mouth, "Gimme."

A faint red coated her cheeks almost immediately, as she fumbled around with her fork still in her hands. It was obvious she didn't want to do it. But it was also obvious that I wasn't going to close my mouth. She would've probably thrown the cake in my face save the audience we had. It was the interested stares of the people around us that made her give in. We'd already made a scene, and she sure as hell wasn't going to cause another one.

It took everything I had not to smile at that very moment, as her trembling hand sliced off a small piece of the white vanilla cake with her fork, bringing it up to meet my mouth. I backed away slowly, which caused her to stretch her hand out even more. To say that I was having fun would be an understatement. I suppressed a laugh as her shaky hand moved towards me, backing away even more. She scowled, leaning on the table as forward as her body allowed her to, in order to let me have my cake.

I few giggles erupted all over the place, which caused her blush to deepen a bit more. "Just eat it already!"

I did.

I watched her hand finally move away, as she regained her composure. The cake was nothing special, but it was still sweet in a way I can't quite describe.

"I'm going to need some pyridoxine after this," she mumbled, slumping back into her seat.

"About that," I started, leaning my elbows on the counter, "why do you know so much about medicine? You said something before about being a professional, but I didn't get that. Don't you need to have some sort of diploma or license in order to work as a nurse at a school where people might actually get hurt?"

"I wasn't a full time nurse, I only worked there for a while. But yes, I can see where you're getting at," she paused for a moment combing through the leftovers in her plate while avoiding my eyes, "My father has a phd in pharmacy, and he was well known throughout the city in his earlier days. It's all I've known my whole life. I didn't go out to play with friends so that's probably why I'm like this… _introverted_ as you might say." She stopped to brush back a strand of her hair, "My father wanted someone to pass down his knowledge to, and I was his only daughter so… yeah."

I raised a brow, none of this still making much sense to me.

"And so," she continued, a shadow of a fake smile grazing her lips, "I was somewhat forced to learn everything my father knew regarding medicine. It was a slow process, but I gradually came to like it. It was nice knowing the different kind of uses for different pills and such, and most of the time I could take care of my own sicknesses." Her fingers traced the outline of her glass of water, "And then I started entering competitions. I wasn't eighteen yet, so I couldn't put up my own entry in the serious ones, so at first I only entered children's contests. When my dad noticed that I'd gotten a lot better, he let me put up my own entry in a Medicinal Pharmacy Challenge, where you had to make your own variation of an already existing medicine."

I had no idea where she was going with this, but for one reason or another, I wasn't bored.

"I made a version of paracetamol using my dad's lab equipment and it was a somewhat decent product. I got third place on the competition, and needless to say my father was the happiest man on earth. But I'd entered it on behalf of my mother, since I wasn't eighteen at the time. She got the diploma but I got the praise and I was happy." Her eyes met mine, a cold chill rushing down my back, "For the most part, at least. Then she got contacted by a lot of pharmaceutical companies, and all the attention shifted to her. She apologized a lot, but my dad got fired from his own job since the company thought my mother would be more suitable to take his place." Another long sigh, "Of course, she declined, having majored in classic literature with no knowledge in medicine whatsoever."

The talk started getting a bit uncomfortable, considering that I hadn't come here with the motive to listen to her weird family story, but I didn't stop her talking nonetheless. It seemed as though she needed someone to say these things to, and the fact that that someone was me just proved how desperate she was for a listener.

"Finally, the culmination of the story is that my father had to start working as a pharmacist at an apothecary and his earnings downgraded a bunch. My mother remained unemployed and the media found out the kind of scam we'd pulled. My dad is lucky to even have the job he has now, and I was deemed the 'gifted child' or something stupid like that. But no matter how much people forced me to repeat what I'd done after that, I couldn't just come up with new medication. Things like that don't just happen every day. It was a once in a lifetime miracle and it wasn't even anything big. I just shifted some compounds in the formula and it was done." She paused to take a deep breath, "It was nothing remotely special."

So she just changed up the formula a bit and got a third place at some contest. But people started expecting big things from her just because she was 'young and promising'. Fucking stupid.

"So when our nurse quit and left for a better tomorrow," she paused for a dry half-hearted laugh, "I applied as a joke, since I needed the money and it seemed like a better opportunity than working at some restaurant or whatever." She just insulted every waiter in the world. I looked down at the burger I hadn't touched, "I never expected I'd get hired, but it seems as though the principal had heard the rumors even though my family lives in another town. Guess news travels."

"This is the first time I'm hearing about it, and my uncle probably knows that because he's interested in that sort of stuff," I added, glad to be speaking after that huge monologue.

"Your uncle?" She asked, cocking her small head to the side.

"The principal." I explained, raising my hand to ask for the tab.

Instead of the waiter who'd been serving us the whole evening, this time we were visited by a young and blonde chick that wore the diner's uniform. "Um, here you go," she mumbled, noticing the confusion in our eyes. "Jeff's shift ended a while ago, and I'm filling in."

Lucy slid a five dollar bill across the table, and I pushed it back, "I'm paying." Her brows furrowed, and she pushed it back again, "I _said,_ " I slid back the piece of paper, "I'm paying."

"You should let your boyfriend pay if he insists," the waitress smiled, and before I even got to deny it—

"He's not my boyfriend." Blondie beat me to it.

"He isn't?" The waitress repeated, a small glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes. She tuned towards me, plastering that fake seductive smile I've been saying a lot of lately.

I gave her the money, and instructed her to keep the change. But out of the corner of my eye, I could see my ex-nurse getting ready to leave. She got up, the money she left before still on the table, and slung her backpack on her right shoulder. Before I even got to take my bag, she was out of the diner.

"Um, if you want my numb—" I pushed past the waitress.

"Sorry, not now."

* * *

"Rare to see you miss a chance like that," blondie commented, standing outside the diner with a disappointed look on her face. It was raining. No way to move without getting soaked.

"I didn't miss my chance, I let it go." I corrected.

"Precisely," her eyes met mine, "Don't you jump at every opportunity that presents itself?"

I rewarded her with a cold stare. "As you can see, I don't."

We stood there silently for a while more, and I got tired of waiting for the rain to stop, when it was obvious it wasn't going to. It was already dark out, so I guessed she'd call a taxi or something, and yet she continued to stand. "Refusing to go home because you want to spend time with me?" I smirked, and she stepped out from beneath the shelter, her hair and clothes getting immediately drenched. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I'm not here because I want to be. I just don't like paying money for a cab." Her face stayed intact, proof that she didn't use any makeup that would run down.

I showed her the money she left earlier, "I didn't take your money, use it to go home."

"The dorms are not far from here," she said, her voice barely audible, shrouded by the dripping noise of rain splashing against the ground. "I'll walk."

I stared at the previously fluffy blonde hair, the volume from before gone completely. But there was something sexy about the way it clung to her face, scattered across her cheeks and stuck to it with water. Her wool sweater must've weighed a ton by then, and her jeans were dripping wet. Droplets tickled down her neck, making me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Desperately feeling the need to calm down, I stepped out from under my sacred shelter as well.

"I'll go get my car. Wait here." She opened her mouth to protest and give me the whole 'I don't ride with strangers' speech again, but I didn't let her. "Hey, we ate together. You don't eat together with people you don't know."

I stopped dead in my tracks. Gray drove me to school today. I didn't bring my car. So much for acting as prince charming and offering her a ride home when I couldn't even give myself one.

"Actually, you're right. We don't know each other too well."

"Did you forget your car?" She asked, as though she could see right through me.

"Yeah, fuck that," I stood facing her, my eyes unable to move from the way the water slid down her body, "You're going back to the dorms, right?"

She hesitated.

"So you _do_ want to spend more time with me," I laughed, closing in on her.

"Actually," her eyes were glistening with the wetness of the rain, small drops of water clinging to her long eyelashes, "Do you know where I can find a hotel?"

* * *

The keys jingled together as I fumbled with the lock, pushing open the door to my house. We pretended not to notice the various articles of clothing that were laying around the hallway, as I closed the door behind me. I led her to my living room, turning on the heating as soon as we stepped in. Our bags were dripping wet, so I just set them aside. "Well," I ran a hand through my hair, looking around the place, "You can put your jacket anywhere and—"

My instincts flared up.

I have a girl in my house. A girl I've done nothing with. She's here, she's alone, she's wet. She might not be my type, and her figure was a low 4 judging by her clothes, but she was here. I swallowed hard, wondering where my sense of indifference disappeared to. Didn't I reject the cute waitress just half an hour ago?

"Thank you."

"Huh?" I mumbled, dumbfounded by her sudden words, "Oh, uh, yeah, don't mention it." My gaze landed on her neck again, " _Seriously,_ don't mention it."

She giggled lightly, and I pushed her towards the master bathroom, "You'd better go take a shower or something." She stepped in the bathroom, but kept staring at me without closing the door.

"Want me to get in?" I asked, leaning in towards her face.

"What am I supposed to wear?" She gestured towards her soaked outfit.

"Oh, yeah, _right,_ " I brought a pair of black sweats and red t-shirt. She eyed them carefully but didn't protest.

As soon as she disappeared behind the door, I went to the other bathroom to give myself a cold, _cold_ shower.

* * *

Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic.

Wet hair, steam coming out of every pore. A small towel set atop her head. Clothes, _my_ clothes, hanging loosely on her body whose figure I really want to see right now.

She's standing in front of me. In my own clothes. How sly.

Killing me with my own weapons?

"Are you hungry?" I asked, pretending not to notice the fact that she was practically inviting me to jump her. I trailed towards the kitchen, ignoring the sounds of her light stepping of bare feet, "I think I have something, but I'm not sure."

"No I'm fine. You're the one who didn't eat though." She said, and I remembered leaving the untouched burger at the table before rushing out after her. Never before had I left food like that.

I turned to face her. She used her hands to soak up the water from her hair with her towel, and I don't think I've ever seen anything more turn-on-ish. "So uh," I exhaled, "Why don't you want to go back to the dorms?"

She started speaking but I tuned out. I had just now noticed it. Her arm. Her fucking bare arm. She's wearing my fucking t-shirt and I can see her arms. Why the hell are they so thin? What the fuck is happening? Isn't she wearing baggy clothes because she's ashamed of her figure?

I feigned interest in her story, nodding every now and then while walking towards her one step at a time. She was so absorbed in whatever it was she was talking about, that she half-jumped when I set my hands on her waist. Her speech was cut short, as I stared in bewilderment at how skinny her body actually was. I ran my hands up and down the sides of her waist, amazed at how she managed to hide such a body. Even now. The shirt was too big for her, but thank god I brought one with no sleeves.

I let my hand move to her stomach which was flat and firm. Her back also. I set them on both sides of her waist again, and looked up at her for the first time. Here, trapped between me and the fridge, unused to the touch of the arms of a man, her face was redder than it had ever been. Wide eyes, mouth half-parted, and the furious pink coat of blush almost made me feel a bit shy as well.

It was worth it. Seeing that and touching her waist was definitely worth the slap that ensued.

"Please restrain from touching me like that again," she said, huffing out a cloud of air, as I regained my posture.

"Yeah, whatever," I turned around so that I wouldn't look into her eyes, "I was just surprised that your body isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

She seemed to calm down, "Alright well, at least I'm not out somewhere drenched in rain with a molester hiding behind every corner."

I felt a smile tug at my lips, "Want me to help you dry off?"

She turned towards the door, "I'd rather take my chances with the molester."

I couldn't help but laugh, and it surprised me when she did too. I felt my voice die down as I watched her giggle. It was like someone clicked pause and the world stopped except for this weird creature.

I shook away those stupid thoughts.

"So, which room are you going to spend the night in?"

"The one farthest away from yours."

* * *

 **A/N: OOH what a shocking development!**

 **Why doesn't she want to go back? All will be explained in due time.**

 **It took me hours to write this and I really hope it's good enough.**

 **Anyways, I'm really happy to see that a lot of my readers are reviewing on this story, which makes me want to make it really good (hence the 4400 words in this chapter). Knowing that there are people out there who will take time to write about what I'm writing about makes me really glad to have started this.**

 **Thank you for being here for me!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I just started watching 13 Reasons Why and I can't believe I'm the only one who doesn't like Hannah Baker**

* * *

 **08**

 **"Piss Natsu Off" show?**

* * *

Previously, on "How to seduce a lady": _I couldn't help but laugh, and it surprised me when she did too. I felt my voice die down as I watched her giggle. It was like someone clicked pause and the world stopped except for this weird creature. I shook away those stupid thoughts.  
"So, which room are you going to spend the night in?"  
"The one farthest away from yours."  
_

* * *

I stared up at the ceiling, going through our last conversation in my head. I knew she had to have a reason for spending so much time with me, and it turned out she really _did_ have one. I mean, she would never agree to spend the night in my house if she didn't have a reason. I was still surprised at how I'd managed to persuade her to stay here. I offered giving her a place to stay for the night, and she asked if she would be intruding. I said no, and she agreed, simple as that.

And after I'd asked her why she's here, she explained that she had a fight with her roommate. It made sense, since I showed up at her doorstep the other day and practically caused the whole mess myself. Turns out she went to talk to the teacher in charge of the dorms, but they wouldn't let her change rooms. So, not wanting to go back to that place where her bitch of a roommate—that I slept with—would yell at her, she decided to prolong her return. That's why she gladly accepted my offer to go to the diner, and didn't leave right away.

When we got out from the place, she remembered how she'd have to go back there, and decided not to show up at all. Hence the idea about the hotel. But I still couldn't help but feel as though there was something more to the story.

I sighed, thinking about how she'd insisted she sleep in a different bedroom. It wasn't like I was going to try anything… probably. Oh second thought, it was better that she wasn't there at the moment. Who knew what could've happened.

A familiar ringing chased away the thoughts threatening to ensue, and I got up to pick up the object that had caused it. My cell. It was almost one am, but the person who needed me clearly didn't care about the time. The number wasn't saved in my contact list, but I answered anyway.

"Hey hey" A feminine voice erupted from the other side of the line, the high-pitched tones ringing in my ear, "is that Natsu I'm talking to?" I didn't recognize who it was.

"Yeah", it sounded more like a question than a statement.

"This is Miya!" when I didn't make any noise to indicate I had any clue who I was talking to, she explained, "Um, you know? We have P.E. together every Thursday!" My mind was still blank.

"Ooh, _that_ Miya!" I exclaimed with false recognition, wondering why the hell I'd gotten a call from this person at such a time.

"Hey, hey, listen to this!" There was a whooshing sound surrounding her voice, and I guessed she was outside, "My boyfriend just broke up with me!" The honking of a car's siren from her side of the line proved me right, "And through a text message, too! I was on my way to meet him and he goes ahead and does that!" The cheery note in her voice was a huge contrast to what she was saying. It was as though she didn't feel sad at all. "So anyway, I called to tell you I'm outside our house and I'm coming in, bye—"

Before I could form any sort of answer, the line went dead. I tried calling her back, when I heard a pounding on my front door. Blondie was sleeping on the other side of the house so she probably wouldn't have heard it. I jumped out of bed as quick as I could, running towards the door before she could ring the bell. I opened it just enough to see her face. She didn't look familiar, but heck, none of them did.

"What the hell are you doing here at this hour?" I whispered as loud as I could.

"Well," she pursed her lips, "I just wanted you to comfort me." She ran her finger across my arm, left uncovered by the sleeveless shirt I was wearing, "Since you're so good at _comforting."_

I leaned backwards to see if there was any sign that blondie was up and running, but the dark corridor leading towards the room she was in told me otherwise. I opened the door a bit wider, letting the dumb one in. She started squealing and yelling something and I had no choice to push her inside my room and close the door. Thank God blondie insisted she slept in the room further away.

"So?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips as she studied the room, "What do you want?"

"Aww, c'mon Natsu! Don't be such a party pooper!" She giggled, "We didn't do it in this room when I was last here though." I didn't have time for things like this, so everything she said just made me more annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah I don't give a shit." She turned to look at me with surprise, "Just go home already."

"What is it?" she asked, a playful smile crossing her lips, "Got another girl here?"

"Actually, I do." I said, and pointed towards the door, "So leave."

"Ho ho!" She mocked a stupid laugh, her brows raising with fake surprise, "Well bring her in! I don't mind it if there's three of us." I swallowed down the lump in my throat, trying not to think of that tempting offer. What the hell was she thinking?

"I'm being serious, just—"

"Serious?" She raised a perfectly styled eyebrow, "That's the last word I'd use to describe you. She knows you're a fuckboy, right? That girl of yours. Where is she, hmm?" She looked around once more, and made for the door. I moved my hand and grabbed her by the shoulder.

"What the fuck do you _want?"_ I spat, and she whirled to face me.

"Nothing, I'm just sad I got dumped and want you to have sex with me."

"Well that was straightforward." I lowered my voice when I realized that blondie might hear us. "Listen, this is really not a good time for me—"

"It was three AM the first time I came here, so I really don't see the problem." She shrugged, scrunching up her nose, "What is wrong with the smell?"

"What do I smell like?" I asked, suddenly a bit conscious of my body odor.

"That's the problem," she tapped her index finger on her chin, "You don't smell like anything. It's weird seeing you without the awful stench of alcohol oozing out of every pore."

She kept jumping on my nerves and I was really close to making an even bigger scene. But there was something off about her, and I couldn't guess what. Was she drunk or something? But I couldn't smell alcohol either.

"I don't get what's your problem," she continued, freeing herself from my grasp, "Just fuck me and get this over with." I felt disgusted by the fact that I'd actually slept with someone like her, wondering just what the hell had gotten into her, "I won't stay over. Your other girl can wait." Her hands traced lines across my back, "Just make me feel good."

My hand twitched, but before I got to act, a sudden flash of light illuminated the room. We didn't have time to wonder what happened, a loud sound of thunder erupting in the sky. I pushed her away and ran toward the windows, devastated to see that it had started to rain. How the hell was I supposed to get rid of her now?

And right on cue, there was a knock on my bedroom door. I froze mid-step, my eyes darting from the door towards Mine or whatever her name was. A faint, almost inaudible "Natsu?" echoed in the silence, and I locked eyes with the intruder.

She raised her shoulders as though to say it wasn't her fault, when I heard blondie's voice again, "Can I come in?"

"Um," I opened the drawer next to my bed, pulling out the pieces of paper, "Just a second!"

Opening my window to show Macey I was serious, I lifted her body off the ground and used my other hand to block any sounds from escaping her mouth. It was a good thing that the room was on the first floor, so it was leveled to the ground outside. She kicked and protested, but I managed to shove her outside nonetheless. I threw the money I'd gotten from the drawer into her hands, and she stared at it in bewilderment. "Call yourself a taxi or whatever, just get the hell out of here!"

"What the—bribing me?—hell is happening with you?" She made for the window, but I shut if just in time. "You changed you fucking cunt!" She shouted through the glass but I could barely hear anything. I watched her pick up the money even though she didn't take it at first, and turn to leave. Her eyes were bloodshot and I couldn't help but wonder if she was under some kind of influence.

Exasperated from the fiasco, I strode over towards the door and opened it. Blondie stood there, wrapped up in one of my blankets, a wary expression dangling on her face. She seemed curious about my room, but didn't peek from over my shoulder. That was a first.

"Uh," I started, noticing that I was out of breath and that she could also see that, "something wrong?"

Her big brown eyes blinked at me with confusion, and I stepped backwards. I inched all the way to the bed, watching her slowly creep in as though she was imposing. She took a discreet glance around the place, but didn't say anything about the mess I'd made over the past few weeks I'd been without a maid, and I silently thanked her for it.

"Am I interrupting something?" She asked, cocking her blond head to the side.

"Heeh?" I let out a nervous laugh, "Why would you think that?"

She pointed toward me.

When I didn't notice anything was amiss, I turned around, and screamed like a little bitch. I doubled over the tennis bag I'd dropped to the floor some other day, and hit my head on my desk. Slowly—as though to make sure it was real—I looked back at the window, where Melanie stood drenched by the pouring rain, staring at me with those cold eyes as though I'd just murdered her family.

"Wh-wh-what the hell?" I managed to choke out, looking back at blondie who was wearing an unreadable expression on her face.

"First of all," she looked away from me, "We should get her inside."

* * *

How did it turn out like this?

I stared at the two girls sitting on the couch before me. One was mad, soaking wet, and throwing death glares my way, and the other was clicking her tongue in disapproval.

"Listen, Marcie—"

" _Miya."_

"Miah, just get the fuck out of my house."

Blondie offered to go get her a towel, and ignoring my protests, left the two of us alone.

"So that's the bitch you're fucking, huh? Some ugly-ass hot chick that you'll dump in the morning like everybody else?" I was about to yell, but stopped in my tracks. It seemed as though she didn't recognize our ex-nurse, and the girl the whole school ridicules, just because she was wearing more form-fitting clothes, and her eyes weren't red from crying. But is that really why she didn't recognize her?

She continued, "How far did you go, huh? Did she suck your—"

"SHUT UP!" I threw a seat cushion her way, and she didn't have the reflexes to catch it, so it smacked her straight on the face. Her eyes darted from one place to another, and her hands were shaking since the moment I first saw her at the doorstep.

"Are you… high?" I asked, and she got up in a shaky manner.

"Shut the hell up!" Blondie entered at that exact same moment, and gave Meghan a towel. She walked up to me, and shook my hand, slipping something inside it, unnoticed.

She disappeared once more, and I looked down.

A condom.

"I'm leaving! If you dare tell the teachers about my drug problem - but it's not a problem though I totally have it under control - I'm going to kick your ass!" Melory said, and bolted for the door. "And for the record, that weird blonde you got there is way too hot for your disgusting ass!" And that was the last I saw of her. I heard a few days later that she stumbled upon a police officer and got arrested, which got me thinking even more about the girls I play around with.

I took in a deep breath, aware of the difficulties regarding the task at hand.

* * *

A loud crackling noise erupted from the sky once more, as I knocked on the door of the room I'd been trying to stay away from the whole night. The hollow sound of my hand thumping against the wood was the only thing I could hear. "You there?" No answer. "The uh, girl's gone."

The door screeched to a small opening, allowing me to peek inside, and locate my guest crouched down next to the bed, still wrapped inside the blanket. "You could've told me," she said, looking up from her feet, "I would've stayed outside." I felt something twist inside the bottom of my stomach.

"That wasn't planned," I started.

"Yeah, you'd think I would've known you had non-planned flings every night and such."

"What the..? No. I wasn't expecting a guest, she came here on her own and—" I ran a hand through my hair, stepping inside the room. "Why did you give me a condom?"

"Seemed appropriate for the situation." She deadpanned, raising her shoulders.

"I wasn't going to do anything with her."

"Yeah, and I can walk through walls and read minds."

I furrowed my brows, "I'm serious."

She stared at me, and I tried making the most honest expression I could muster, since I really _didn't_ expect that sort of thing to happen. But the fact that she expected me to jump straight to bed with that person?

But… that _wa_ _s_ the sort of person I am, so she had every right to assume things.

"Never mind Monica, tell me why you came to my room." All kinds of scenarios about her were flashing through my mind for the past half hour, and I wasn't going to let her off the hook without getting every last detail.

Another thunder noise boomed above us, and I watched her poke her head back into the make-shift coat she had made with the blanket. "…thunder."

"What?" I inched closer.

"I'm scared of thunder."

That weird shifting in the inside of my stomach came back, and I looked down at her. So even our very own nurse could be acting cute sometimes. Suppressing a smile, I kneeled down to level my eyes with hers. "Go back to bed, I'll sit here."

Her eyes glistened with surprise, "Really? Until I fall asleep?"

"Well I don't have a choice now," I shouted, rising back to my feet and going out to grab my cell to busy myself while she fell asleep. When I returned, I found her tucked under the covers, eyes still fully aware of the lightning. I sat down beside her bed, and decided to read some news or whatever.

She was out cold in minutes.

I contemplated waking her up with my tongue in her mouth, but decided that I'd had enough excitement for one night. I was glad that Minna had left the premises, and her slightly disheveled state of mind meant she wouldn't remember blondie in the morning, or be able to place her as our most mocked student. I sighed in contempt, scrolling through my Instagram. Thousands upon thousands of pictures of girls just begging for a like with their pursed lips and their deep cleavage. I was about to exit the app, when I accidently turned on the camera function.

My ugly-ass face came into view, distorted from a weird angle that made me look fat. Fucking hate it when it goes into front-cam. I double clicked the screen and it rotated. Blondie's sleeping face came into view. Making sure that the sound was off and the flash was disabled so I didn't make a fool of myself, I clicked the 'capture' button and took a picture.

After making sure that she was still asleep, I felt my heart pound loudly at the thought of being discovered acting like a first-class pervert. I breathed out a sigh of relief when I noticed that a gunshot wouldn't wake her up at this rate, and checked my phone.

I got the same turning sensation in the pit of my stomach as I stared at her sleeping face stored forever in the safe clutches of my phone's gallery, and just sat there for a few minutes, feeling my eyelids get heavier by the second, the image on my phone not changing.

* * *

I hugged the cloud closer to my face, burying my head in the light softness, and felt every worry exit my body. My legs stretched out farther than ever, and my body felt lighter than air as I floated through the sky. The sweet sound of a spring wind came whooshing around my head, and the smell of toast mixing with the air.

Wait; toast?

My mind's dream projection was cut to an abrupt stop, as I shot up in the bed. Sure enough, the smell of toast lingered in the air, settling in every nook and cranny. I looked around to take in my surroundings, surprised to see that I was asleep in the bed that blondie had been in yesterday. And then it hit me. My phone. I scanned the premises, breaking into a cold sweat when I didn't see it anywhere.

Running into the kitchen, I was hit by a gust of warm air that smelled of toast, reminding me of that nostalgic feeling I had when I still lived with my mom. She used to wake me up in the morning with a plate of toast and tomatoes every day. Setting the problem of my phone aside for a second, I inched closer to the table, a plate set out defenseless. Feeling a smirk tug at the corner of my lips, I almost touched the food when the door opened.

Blondie waltzed her way in with her hands full. She had a grocery bag in one of them, and a newspaper in the other, as her eyes scanned the headlines. There was a chocolate bar in her mouth. She dropped off the stuff she'd bought while I was asleep apparently, and used her now free hand to detach the chocolate bar from her teeth, squealing at its sweetness.

"Did you make this?" I asked, and she shifted her attention towards me.

"No, it was the genie I let out of the bottle this morning." She raised a brow at me, "Want a free wish?"

My flirty character moved without me telling it to, and in a second I stood towering next to her, placing both hands on top of the counter behind her. I heard the flutter of the newspaper falling down to the floor. "A wish would be nice." I smirked, noticing for the first time that she was still in my clothes. "Let's see… what should I wish for?" I pretended to think, enjoying the blush spreading on her cheeks as she looked around for an opening. "But I already have everything I need. A big house. An expensive car. A striking reputation. All the girls in the world." Her expression grew more irritated with every mentioned thing, "Breakfast. Groceries. Oh, and a _slave_ as well."

She glared daggers at me, and I couldn't help but grin. I inched forward, closing in on the small spot she had to maneuver, and she slammed her back on the counter in an attempt to get away as far as the space allowed her to. "Yup, I have everything I need." My right hand shot down onto her waist again, as though making sure my discovery from yesterday wasn't a dream. And sure enough, she was still hot. And sure enough, I was still slapped.

"Don't touch me with those hands." But the expression on her face told me that this was anything but a joke to her, "I don't know where they've been."

An innuendo? Was she talking about the girl from last night?

"I thought I told you I didn't do anything with her."

"It's none of my business what you do and don't do." She shrugged, picking up the paper that fell earlier.

Her words stuck to my head, and I felt as though she was actually right about what she was saying. It really wasn't her business, and here I was, explaining myself to her like she was my wife or something. She doesn't even turn me on. She's the court jester of our school and I feel like I have to give her a complete clarification on my life? What the hell was going on with me?

I sat down and started eating, the buttered toast melting on my tongue like it was magic. I was halfway through scarfing down the meal, when the sight of my phone on the table stopped me. My mouth stopped chewing, my eyes stopped blinking and my hands stopped moving. Did she take it? I didn't have a screen lock. Who doesn't have a screen lock in this day and age? But what if she opened it? Did she go through my messages? Did she call someone? Open up my browser history because there are some things on there that you wouldn't even see on national geographic and—

My mind drew a blank. Did she see the picture I took? The one of her peacefully sleeping unaware that a perverted maniac is taking photographs?

She seemed to notice my alarming pause, and turned to look at me, "Uh," I started, careful to finish chewing before I continued, "Did you take my phone?"

"Yes." She deadpanned, and I felt a rock with the word 'consequences' drop down on my head.

"Why?" I tried to appear casual, but the creepy squeaking of a boy in puberty that came out of my voice told otherwise.

"I wanted to look up a recipe for something more appealing than toast, but your battery was dead." She explained, confused to see me bang my head on the table in relief. "Seemed like you fell asleep with your head on the bed and your phone in your hands. It was a real hassle trying to push your body fully up the bed, so you could properly lie down." I damned myself for not waking up at the time she was trying to pick me up. I would've made so many jokes. I would've made so many _moves._

"By the way," she glanced on the clock situated on top of the doorframe, "You have six minutes to eat and get prepared so we can get to school on time."

The piece of toast in my mouth dropped back down to the plate as I stared at her in confusion. "Um, so what? I'll just skip first period and—"

"Skip?" Her eyes widened, "If you think I'm not going to grab you by the hair, break a frying pan off your head and drag your battered ass all the way down to our high school, you've got another thing coming. I'll sweat blood if I have to."

Not gonna deny that a chill ran down my spine.

"Alright I get it, I'll go." I glanced towards the clock again, "But I'll drive. That way we'll have more time to get ready than we'd have if we went by foot."

She seemed to consider the opportunity a bit, but seeing as though she wasn't ready to head out herself, with my clothes on all that, she decided that it was the smartest thing to do, and agreed with me. I watched her walk out, knowing that this would be the first and last time another girl had worn my garments. When she reappeared later, her hair pulled back and yesterday's clothes hiding her real figure again, I almost felt disappointed, but shrugged away that stupid feeling.

* * *

"Wow," she mumbled, and I took my eyes off the road for a second to glance at her way. I felt my cheeks redden at the sight of a pair of pink checkered panties she held in her hand.

"Haha," I laughed awkwardly, turning back towards the front, "I wonder how that got in there." It certainly didn't have anything to do with the fact that I had a 'playtime' here with a girl a few months back.

We fell silent after that, and I couldn't help but notice the awkwardness that weighed in the air like a dark cloud. Just because we'd spent the night in the same house and she made me breakfast didn't mean that we were instant friends or anything like that. The stupid silence where none of us had anything to say was still there, and there was no way to change that.

I wanted to say something, _anything,_ when I noticed her stare at some sort of lipstick thrown beneath her feet. I panicked, and tried thinking of something that would act as a diversion from my brothel of a car. I was just about to ask what class she had, when I noticed that there was a shoe on the back seat. A black stiletto. My mind was running at high speed, and noticing that she detected I was staring in the rearview mirror, I had to think of something and _fast._

My hand automatically moved to turn on the radio, and I inwardly congratulated myself on a job well done. I was good at thinking on the spot.

 _"—_ _I thought I knew you, what did I know? You don't look different, but you have changed. I'm looking through you, you're not the same—"_

I slammed my hand on the radio and the music screeched and wailed before it was turned off by force. I breathed in and out deeply, thinking that this ride could not go any worse. Seriously world? A beatles song that describes my thoughts about her just _happened to be playing_ at the same time I turned the radio on?

I cast her an apologetic smile, and she cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"You should probably stop here." She said, even though we were still two blocks away from school. I looked towards her with an expression demanding explanation, but I killed the engine nonetheless. "Wouldn't want to ruin your fabulous reputation now, would we?"

I couldn't stop my staring as she slammed the door and walked away. My eyes followed her as she went, a faint sway of her hips ticking her away into the distance.

She was right. I'd gotten too carried away. I had a reputation I needed to protect, and talking to the school's biggest disappointment wasn't going to do me any good. I needed to distance myself from her. Get back to the way I used to be before I met her. It seems as though her role in my life is to make me less of a man. She's taking away my will to be with other girls and it irritates me. I made a mental note to make out with at least three girls today, and take one home with me. I smirked at the thought, another ridiculous churn in my intestines following the imagination.

A light tap on my window reminded me that I was still parked. Expecting to see and officer or even blondie, I furrowed my brows when I saw it was Gray. He waved and entered the car like it was his father's property.

"Natsu Dragneel is actually on time for once? The moment was so touching you had to park on the side of the road to celebrate your achievement?" He asked, and I rolled my eyes before turning on the engine, "But seriously though, you still have five more minutes until class. What a time to be alive!"

"And what about you? Decide it was time to leave your palace and see what the commoners are doing?" I threw back.

"Ah, I've been found out," he raised his hands in defense, "The teachers got a notice from France about how I'd returned and they told me I have to come to school immediately." He laced his fingers behind his head, "Guess I couldn't keep it going forever."

"What were you doing back there?" I asked, since it was unusual to see him without a car.

"Um, I live there?" He reminded, and I made an 'o' shape to indicate I hadn't thought about it. We were in his neighborhood. My mind froze as I thought about the chance he might've seen blondie with me.

"If you're thinking about how I might've seen a weird blonde girl exit your car and walk way leaving you dumbfounded and questioning your existence inside the confined space of your vehicle since you're a worthless excuse of a human being and have nothing in life to be happy for, then don't worry because I definitely didn't."

I was contemplating whether to drive into a tree and kill us both.

"Well you're still being a whore," he commented, flicking the pair of panties on the back seat along with the stiletto. "If you were a girl, you'd be shooting out babies every day." I gripped the steering wheel to calm myself.

"Ha ha, very funny Mr. I've Sworn Off Sex." He glanced at me as though saying 'is that the best you've got?' but I didn't taunt any further. We sat in silence for a while more, as I drove towards the school. "What happened with the mademanisel?"

" _Mademoiselle?"_ He asked, "If you're talking about the girl from France, she's still here. I had to let her stay at my place since I basically have no other choice, but it's cool. We're back to the way we were, and she doesn't look like she wants to go back."

"What the hell is her excuse for flying all the way here and not giving you any space to say no?"

"Love conquers all?"

"Of course it does." I mocked, and we fell silent once more. Sure it did. Love. What even is that? I think that people invented love out of boredom. 'hey, I have nothing to do! Let me go and throw the rest of my life away for a person who doesn't give a shit about me! Sounds fun and totally not masochistic at all!'

I turned on the radio again, the music chasing away our quietness.

 _"—_ _you need is love, love; love is all you need; love, love, love, love, lo—"_

IS THIS SOME FUCKING "PISS NATSU OFF" SHOW?!

I slammed my fist on the radio repeatedly, until the song died down to an unrecognizable churn of static. What was it with the fucking beatles songs today?

I'd never been more glad to see the school than in this moment. I parked the car in the first spot I saw, tasting the air of freedom as I stepped out the vehicle.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you—" Gray chased after me, "I know her."

I wasn't interested in anything he had to say.

"I'm friends with her, you know? Lucy Heartfilia."

That famous feeling of an earthquake returned to the pit of my stomach.

* * *

 **A/N: *the twilight zone theme song starts playing* DUN DUN! Does Gray really know Lucy? How? Why didn't either of them mention it before?** **What did they share in the past? And what the hell is up with Natsu's stomach?**

 _ **NOTICE: I will be going on a trip around Europe this Saturday, so I won't be able to post in a while.**_ **That's why I wrote this chapter with almost 6000 words and I posted it just four days after the first one. I hope this will satisfy your NaLu needs!**

 **I wish everything goes well for me on this trip, and I can't be happier! I wish I could meet all of you guys!**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing on another one of my chapters, you touch my heart!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Good news! I messaged the author who copied my story and they took it down! Thanks a lot for everyone's support. This chapter's on you!**

* * *

 **09**

 **Crisis of touch**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _"Oh, I forgot to tell you-" Gray chased after me, "I know her." I wasn't interested in anything he had to say. "I'm friends with her, you know? Lucy Heartfilia."  
The famous feeling of an earthquake returned to the pit of my stomach.  
_

* * *

I slammed the backpack on my chair, slumping down in my seat just before the bell rang. It was weird to actually get there before any teacher came, and I kind of felt proud to do this for a change. But my happiness was short-lived, and I furrowed my brows in an attempt to analyze Gray's actions earlier. He told me that he knew blondie, and when I tried asking him about it, he yelled out some lame excuse about being late for class and ran off before I got a chance to act.

The other students pretended to hide their surprise when they saw me enter the classroom _without_ smelling like a winery, and actually looking like I slept for once. I ignored the looks and murmurs coming from all directions around me, and instead tried thinking of probable ways Gray could have met blondie.

It was highly possible that they were in the same class or something, but he'd never mentioned her before in his life, and I hadn't seen them in the same classroom even once. Not that I'd seen her anywhere else either… After thinking about it for a while, I realized that I didn't know a single thing about her existence before slamming her tray with the door a few weeks ago. We'd coexisted in the same time and space, walked down the same hallways every day, eaten the same cafeteria lunches, and shared the same air; yet I never managed to notice her.

It didn't surprise me that I wouldn't notice her _now;_ I mean, my head's in the clouds every moment of every day, but I was surprised that I hadn't noticed her before. Back, way back when I was the same as any other student, and when there were other things on my mind besides girls and what I'm going to drink at the pub. Back when my circle of friends wasn't the first couple of idiots I came across.

Believe it or not, I was actually quite a normal guy. I had grades much better than the ones I have now, even though I can always make them into straight As when all is said and done. My morning routine didn't consist of throwing on the first pair of jeans I saw and washing my mouth with whiskey. I didn't analyze every girl I saw walking down the street, and I'd even had a few decent girlfriends. I went out with my friends and I could actually have some fun without having to start the night off with vodka. I was even on the track and field club.

Every day I'd walk through the doors of the school with Erza and Gray, talking our way across the hall to where Gajeel and Jellal were arguing about last night's baseball game. We weren't the most popular group or anywhere near the cool kids you saw bullying the smaller ones, but we were content with ourselves. It was a group where Erza would yell out her lungs for your own good, Gray would help you out with your social standings, Jellal would tutor you in any subject you had problems with, and Gajeel would punch a hole through whoever called you 'dipshit' when you held up the line in McDonalds because you couldn't decide the size of fries you want.

"Good morning class," the voice of the teacher brought me back to reality momentarily, and I lost track of my thoughts. What had I been pondering before my mind wandered towards the past? Ah, yes, I was wondering how Gray knew blondie.

Them taking classes together was out of the question, since Gray had been in the same class with me the first two years, and he hadn't gone to school half of this year. I'd never seen them together either. So I guessed he knew her from another place. Cousins? Highly unlikely, since I knew every family member Gray had. My mind stopped for a moment, and I felt some sort of sickening taste gather in my mouth. Were they in a relationship before? Did they date? Maybe it was a fling? A one night stand? But Gray wasn't that kind of person that would just sleep with anybody. But I'd only known him from the moment we entered high school. Maybe she was his serious girlfriend from before?

I didn't know why thinking about them dating made me feel like vomiting, but I guessed it was because blondie wasn't a good match for him. Blondie wasn't a good match for anyone.

"—and that is why cows can't walk downstairs." I tuned into the most random part of the 'lecture'. "Any questions?"

My hand shot up before I got a chance to actually think this through, and the teacher allowed me to speak.

"Why does thinking about a certain girl make me sick?" Needless to say the classroom went dead silent before everyone erupted into fits of laughter. I wasn't sure that even one person in the room took me seriously, but the teacher actually pondered the problem for a while. We had sociology and for some godforsaken reason we could ask questions like this and the teacher wouldn't treat us like retards. The class thought that I was joking as usual, since it was a hobby of mine to make fun of the teachers. But it benefited me that they didn't stop to think that I was actually being serious.

"Make you sick, hmm?" She thought for a moment, scratching her chin like she always did whenever she was asked something as stupid as this. "Do you hate that person?"

"Maybe?" My mind skipped past all those times I made her feel like shit, and all those moments I couldn't stand being in the same room with a person as pathetic as her. My thoughts stopped at the most recent turn of events, when I actually got to spend some time with her and see that she wasn't the person I thought her to be. She was actually pretty… normal. "Actually, I don't think so, no. I don't _hate_ her."

Our professor raised a brow, patterns of confusion gliding across her blue eyes as she added bits and pieces of information in her head. "So, you don't hate her. What bothers you in particular about this person?"

"What bothers me?" I raked my brain for answers. Funny, had you asked me this a week ago, I would pull out a fucking list and some things would _still_ be left out. But now, it seemed as though I couldn't quite remember what. "Well, I don't know all the things I _want_ to know about her."

"So you're curious. What kind of things?"

"Her relationship with my best friend." The words came out with a venomous note, almost being spat out on the floor only to be trampled over.

Her eyes lit up as though she'd seen some sort of fucking green light, "You're jealous." I was about to laugh my lungs out, but she continued. "Do you like this person?"

"Fucking hell I don't!" I shouted, feeling the strong need to justify myself, "I will never like her."

The teacher's eyes got that look someone gets when they get the best cards in a poker game, or that look when you sit down in front of a test you've actually studied for. "I see." The bell rang, but I stayed sitting still even though the others got bored and went out for our next class. It seemed as though she waited for everyone else to exit the room before telling me her theory. "I think you're starting to like her but your brain refuses to let that happen because you don't think you should." I wanted to protest, but my words were cut short, "Maybe you think she's a bad choice. Or maybe you think she's beneath you." I felt a hit in my stomach, "Or maybe deep down you know that you don't deserve that person."

"Or maybe you're just full of shit."

The loud sound of my chair hitting the tiles on the floor blocked the echoes of my steps as I walked away from where she was standing.

* * *

"All I'm saying is, if you're _already_ in a lava-filled space battle station, you should've at least packed your chainsaw." I stared at Sting as he tried to prove _something_ to Rogue who was too busy with _not_ caring.

My eyes were barely kept open, as I used the cafeteria's white plastic fork to shove around the rubbery scrambled eggs on my plate. I had no appetite, which was probably due to me having an actual breakfast this morning, which was already one meal too much for my always empty stomach to handle. Sting kept going on and on about battle axes and whatnot, and Rogue kept nodding his head while scooping up a spoonful of the sticky frozen yoghurt they gave out to vegans here.

"I don't understand what you don't understand about my game plan," Sting continued rambling.

"I don't understand how you don't understand what I don't understand when it's completely not understandable for me to understand it." Rogue countered, and my head started hurting from their randomness.

"I don't understand." Sting deadpanned, reaching out to take my cellphone with his greasy hands. "I'll prove to you that zombies would win in a fight against aliens." I rolled my eyes, too tired to care about whatever it was they were talking about, and Sting kept going. "I know Natsu has that one picture of last year's comic con where I cosplayed as a—" the plastic fork he was holding with his other hand dropped to the table, "—what the hell, Natsu?"

I raised a brow at him, "What?"

"You tell _me_ ," he turned the phone so that the screen was now facing me, and I felt my feet go cold at the sight of blondie's sleeping face. I totally forgot I had that picture. I totally forgot I charged the phone in my car. I totally forgot that I was a fucking maniac.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I choked out, stuffing some of the eggs in my mouth, as Sting showed the picture to Rogue.

"I think you do," he countered, staring at the photo for a few moments before going on, "Dude, I know you don't have a type but _come on._ At least have some standards, man. Why the hell would you sleep with her? Out of all the girls in the world, _her?_ And I thought _I_ was the weird one." A small laugh escaped both of them, "But I have to admit this is hilarious stuff."

"I agree," Rogue added for the first time, "I didn't take you as a person who would try everything on the menu."

"How fat is she really?" Sting butted in, "Did you have trouble managing all that hugeness of her body? Imagine if she was on top and—"

"My friend sent me the picture," I lied, coming up with the first thing on my mind.

"Then why is it in the camera folder?"

I inwardly cursed Rogue's intellect.

"Alright you got me, I took the picture but it wasn't in my house. I went to her dorm." When they didn't seem to catch on to what I way saying, I elaborated, "I slept with her roommate once, so I went there again and it kind of got hectic."

"Oh yeah, I heard about that." Sting mumbled, "Something about you running around the girls' dormitory and causing trouble. But I never thought that this would be the reason." He pushed back his hair, "Oh well, it's not that fun anymore. I'm off to chemistry."

He walked away, not bothering to clean up the mess he made on the table in the cafeteria. I swallowed the bite I wasn't even aware I was still chewing, and felt the angst leave my lungs for the first time these past few minutes. That was close. So damned close.

"So you went to her room to visit her roommate." Rogue's voice sliced through the air, and I nodded to confirm. I contemplated whether to throw away the rest of my meal or eat it. "That still doesn't explain why you took a picture."

After that comment, he got up and left me sitting alone. I watched the back of his figure move towards the door, a feeling of irritation bubbling up inside me the hundredth time that day. I slammed my tray against the wastebasket, watching the contents of my meal drop down.

I lost my appetite long ago.

* * *

Cursing whoever invented algebra, I was walking toward my next class when the voice of blondie stopped me in my tracks. I almost didn't catch the fact that the sound of her voice now had the power to make me stop whatever I was doing. I followed the direction it came from, and noticed that she was walking right behind me. Not wanting to seem like some sort of weird stalker, I kept going forward and listening in on her conversation.

"—average of ten." She finished whatever it was she had been taking about.

"I see," I was surprised to hear a male voice, "Thanks for that. I was really terrified since I know absolutely nothing about biology."

"No problem," I could practically _hear_ the smile in her voice.

"You're kind of cool, Heartfilia." I resisted the urge to turn around and see who had the balls to talk to a girl _I_ already took home with me. The familiar revolution in my intestines returned at once, as though she had some sort of power against my stomach. Maybe it was that medicine she gave me that one time.

"Thank you." A small giggle voiced over my thoughts, and I almost felt repulsed by the fact that she actually talked to someone who wasn't me.

"No prob. Oh, and about arrhythmia, when we—" The rest of the sentence died off as they entered their classroom. I turned to look around and see that I had passed the computer lab ages ago, lost in the world I'd intruded in. their classroom door shut closed before I got a chance to look inside, and my curiosity wasn't satisfied. So she made some new friends, huh. Big deal. Let her have her fun.

And I suddenly felt like skipping computer science.

* * *

Tasteless. The only way I could think of describing her mouth was _tasteless._ My hands stopped trying to feel every inch of her body since I felt like I couldn't really _touch_ anything. My tongue stopped trying to find desire where it clearly wasn't. I even opened my eyes.

Kissing a random person always excited me at least a bit in the past, and when I saw a girl ditching whatever class she had out on the benches by the school entrance, I decided to go for it one more time. I never thought I'd actually _regret_ making out with someone. It surprised me when I wished I'd stayed in class. What was happening to me? Where did all that lust go? Is something wrong with my body right now?

"You seem tense," her voice breached my thoughts, and I looked down at her. A black-haired green-eyed beauty with the body of a supermodel. She had a yin-yang tattoo on her shoulder, and another one of a feather on the left side of her neck. I stared down at them, losing track of what she was saying.

"I guess I'm tired." My reply came out robotically.

"No, you don't seem tired. It's more like…" she traced her finger across my chest, and I felt disgusted to be touched by a random person I didn't know, even though I had a shirt on, "… it's more like you're… not interested in this. In me."

"hmm…" I let my mind wander astray, "nah."

"Actually, I think I'm right." She got up from the bench, taking her backpack with her, "You're probably just bored with girls."

I didn't stop her from leaving.

* * *

The empty space next to me didn't stay that way for long.

I felt the presence of someone enter my comfort zone, even though my eyes were closed against the rays of the dim sunlight. School probably finished a few minutes ago, since I heard the last bell ring. That meant that it would be dark soon, and I would have to drag my lazy ass up and all the way home.

I stayed in my slouched position for a while more, not paying attention to the person next to me. A flipping of pages was the only constant rhythm of sound, and I felt even more tired than before. While I made a list of pros and cons about sleeping on a bench in my head, I felt my skin perk up at the slight touch of a finger.

I opened my eyes and came face to face with blondie. She had her forefinger poked at my upper arm, and an amused expression on her face. I felt my skin burn under her touch, alarmed at the sudden contact. It was such a small connected surface, yet I _felt_ it. She saw me open my eyes, and removed her hand to my great dismay. "Wanted to see if you're sleeping." When I didn't reply anything and just kept staring at her, she mumbled, "You'll feel sore later."

" _You'll_ feel sore later." I shot out automatically, a small grin finding its way on my lips.

"I'm not the one sleeping on a bench." She replied, rolling her eyes at me. I watched her go back to reading, unable to tear away my eyes from her hand. Why the hell did she touch me like that? What did she do? It was hard to believe that just a moment ago I was one hundred percent convinced I couldn't ever feel anything again. I shook my head to clear away the thoughts. It was getting dark, and she closed the book since it was probably hard to read with no lighting.

"Don't you have some sort of one night stand you should be preparing for?"

"Good one. And no." I felt the frustration form before die down. I glanced over at her figure, hidden well beneath the sweater she wore yesterday. Did anyone notice that she was wearing the identical clothes she wore the day before? Did they start even more rumors about her? Probably not, since all her clothes looked alike anyway. I felt the corners of my lips tug upward at the thought of her wearing the same clothes because she slept over. There was some sort of satisfaction to knowing a secret nobody else could even come close to imagining.

Like I couldn't even come close to imagining the body this girl actually had. I stole another glance towards her, trying to see past the volumes of wool and onto the slim waist I'd witnessed the night before.

"So what are _your_ plans for tonight? Planning to break into some random house and play sleepover?"

"No, I was planning on whoring around in exchange for a bed." She raised a brow.

"Then you're more than welcome at my house." I felt a grin stretch out my lips, "I promise I don't have any weird fetishes."

A fake laugh escaped her lips, "Oh _really?_ I bet you have one of those weird things where you like smelling a girl's armpits."

"I like smelling a girl's _unshaved_ armpits, yes." I added, and her laughter seemed real this time.

"It's a damn shame you won't find a girl to make all your creepy fantasies come true."

"It's a damn shame you're desperate and willing to grow out your armpit hair for me." Her giggles were even louder this time, and I felt my chest swell up with pride for a second. What the fuck? Was I happy about making her laugh? No fucking way.

"I'm sure you'll find some hippie one day. She'll be a naturalist and she'll have hair _everywhere."_

"I'm getting sick from all this hair talk," I said, shaking my head in an attempt to cleanse my soul from all the disturbing images that flashed by. "I'm serious though. If you want to stay, my door's open."

She cocked her head to the side, "Is this a joke?" He eyes darted around, "Where are the hidden cameras?" She suddenly got a look saying she was disgusted, "Or do you actually expect me to sleep with you?"

"Holy fuck, no. I wouldn't even touch you." _But I would._

"Then why are you acting all noble? Feeling bad that you tortured me in the past and now you want to make it up to me?"

"It's more like: feeling bad that nobody wants you." _Feeling bad that somebody might._

"Ha ha, very funny." A strand of blonde hair fell across her eyes, and she used her hand to push it away. "What's in it for you, huh? How do you benefit in this story?"

"I get to eat actual food." I deadpanned, and she actually laughed.

"So you want me helping around the house?" She asked finally, and I swallowed hard when images of her in a maid costume flashed across my mind. If her waist was so thin, who knew what the rest of her body looked like…

"Something like that, yeah."

"I feel like this is the universe's way of giving me a deal with satan himself." She slung her backpack on her right shoulder. "But what can I say, I'm desperate."

I had a million other questions. What about her parents? What about other relatives? Friends? Boyfriend? Classmates? Anyone? Since she was willing to share a house with me, it must mean she really had no other options.

As though she noticed my concern, she started talking, "I already spent one night there to know you're not a total creep. And you have your own flings so you won't need me for any sort of…" she choked on the word, " _…_ _entertainment._ And anyways, I can always pull out a knife and chop off that pretty head of yours."

I smiled to show that the threat meant nothing to me, when it kind of shook me a little to be honest. But come on, I would never even _attempt_ something with her. She was beneath me. Far, far below where I stood. She really was; wasn't she?

* * *

"You should stop at a supermarket." I heard her say from my left side, as I took a turn towards the nearest market.

"Anything you want to buy?"

"Duh," I could feel her look full of irony on me, even though I was watching the road, "We should get something to eat. I can probably cook something."

I stopped the smile threatening to escape, and had to look away from the streets for just a second. For the first time ever, I didn't feel the need to kick her out of my car like the rest of the girls. She was looking out the window, her head draped on the seat. I followed the small strands of hair sticking out from her messy bun, and my gaze slid down to her bare neck. How come I never noticed how slim it was? How soft it probably felt to the touch? If I were to bite her, would it turn red? She would have to wear her hair down.

The loud honk of a car siren woke me up from whatever dream-like state I was in, as I steered the car out of the way in panic. I tried not to show the concern on my face, but blondie's loud gasp made me realize she'd gotten scared as well.

"Who the fuck told you you knew how to drive?" She screamed, and I slowed down a little.

"Calm down, blondie. Be a man."

"Calm down? You're going to get us killed!"

"And whose fault do you think that is?"

"What?" Her scream echoed as I parked in front of a store. We sat in silence for a while, not one of us moving to leave the vehicle. I allowed myself a glance in her direction. The lights from the neon sign of the supermarket illuminated her face, casting shadows behind her. I could hear her ragged breathing as she tried to calm herself and that's when I noticed that she was actually genuinely frightened. To be honest, I didn't run us off the road, I just sped up a bit more than necessary. We didn't do anything against the rules, but the idiot driver in front of us honked when he saw the difference in speed. I guess she was just surprised.

For a while there I thought she was going to cry, but she didn't. My mind went back to the time she almost got felt up by our teacher and she didn't even flinch afterwards. I was sure she would scream bloody murder then, but she left the counselor's office without any signs of panic.

Just how tough was this girl?

"I'm sorry." I blinked in confusion. "I overreacted. You didn't do anything wrong." I didn't expect her to be the one to apologize, and I kind of felt the need to do it too, but I didn't have a reason to, so I didn't.

We stayed in the car for a while more, still somewhat reluctant to exit. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, waiting for some sort of loud outburst, but she kept quiet.

"Come on," I pushed open my door, jogging around the car to the passenger seat. I opened the door, and pulled her out. She eyed me in confusion as I slammed the door back into place, and took her hand. I ignored the pulsating warmth that radiated from the spot where our skin connected, and headed for the entrance of the supermarket, "I'm going to buy you some ice cream."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm back in business! Nice to be here with a new chapter!**

 **NOTE: I messaged the author that copied my story and just added more vulgar sentences to it and asked them to take it down. I tried persuading them nicely and they finally agreed and deleted it. I'm glad they did because it was demoralizing me and I wanted to quit writing altogether. Thanks to everyone who reported them or commented on their story, and a big thank you to everyone who wrote me a review!**

 **YOU are responsible for my good mood and inspiration and YOU are the reason this chapter is here today.**

 **I deleted the note in place of the ninth chapter and added this instead.**

 **I hope the wait for this chapter was worth it.**

 **Sending out the warmest of hugs!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: All the positive energy you're sending me has inspired yet another long and quick chapter!**

* * *

 **10**

 **Uninvited Guest**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": " _Come on," I pushed open my door, jogging around the car to the passenger seat. I opened the door, and pulled her out. She eyed me in confusion as I slammed the door back into place, and took her hand. I ignored the pulsating warmth that radiated from the spot where our skin connected, and headed for the entrance of the supermarket, "I'm going to buy you some ice cream."_

* * *

"I thought you said you were going to buy me ice cream," she mumbled, as we stood before the various bottles of alcohol lined up on the stalls. I guess I made a routine pit stop. I was so used to coming here to buy drinks that I almost forgot I had her with me. My gaze landed on a bottle of red wine, and I gave her a side glance.

"Want to drink something tonight?"

"I don't drink."

I gave her a look that said I didn't believe her since I really didn't. In this day and age everyone drinks. Even pathetic little bookworms like her. "Not even wine? Nothing? What do you do when you go to bars then?"

"I don't."

I forced my mouth to stay closed due to the surprise, and looked back at the colorful bottles. I think that my supply at alcohol was nonexistent back at home, and I needed to stock up in case… in case, what? In case I bring a girl over? Could I even do that with her there? I guess she wouldn't mind and I could tell her not to leave the room for a while, but would that really work? Wouldn't it be kind of weird to fuck a person in one room while you have a guest in another?

"Hey," She looked at me, waiting, "If I were to uh, bring a girl home and um…"

"You're asking me if I'd mind your one night stands?" She cocked her head to the side, "I wouldn't. You can bring whoever you want. It's your house. Since when do you ask for permission?"

She was right. She was completely right and I fucking tried acting like a little bitch. Who the hell said I needed a 'yes' from this psycho? All she ever knew was how to treat a cold and had like zero experience in life as far as I was concerned. I didn't even know she existed until a while back. And now I need her approval to sleep around with girls? Fuck that.

I took a deep breath in order to get back into shape.

"If you're not buying anything we should just go." She kept shifting her weight from one leg to the other, bored of waiting for me to finally choose something. I lost the will anyways, so I just dragged her away towards the freezers where they kept frozen chicken, microwavable pizza and ice cream. I told her it was on me even though she offered to pay like ten times. And now it was my turn to be bored. It took her almost ten minutes to finally pick one.

But it was refreshing to see her so mesmerized in something like it was a matter of life or death. Like someone would chop her head off if she didn't pick the correct one. She stared at the ice cream and I stared at her. I even leaned on one of the coolers and relaxed while watching her. She was totally oblivious to my staring and I liked it that way. Her eyes kept changing colors as she looked from one to another, and her mouth kept twisting into different shapes whenever she saw something she liked or disliked. I noticed a lot of details. Like how her lower lip is a lot fuller than her upper one. Or how she has tiny white earrings that were almost invisible beneath the few strands of hair falling freely from her bun. Her blonde hair had different shades here and there, which made it look even better. Her lashes were long even though she wasn't wearing any mascara. She didn't have any make-up on now that I mentioned it. She wore the sleeves of her long sweater over half of her hands, so just a small portion of her fingers stuck out, which made it look kind of cute to be honest. Her sweater reached over her ass so I couldn't really make out anything under there, but I liked the mystery. If she really _was_ hot, I hoped I'd see it soon.

"Can I get the oreo one?" She asked, eyes brimming with delight. I felt my head nod without even trying to, as I moved to open the freezer. She also wanted to do the same, so our hands overlapped on the handle, and I froze. The coldness from the freezer was a high contrast to the warmth evaporating from her hand. I couldn't move my own because it was trapped under hers. For that brief moment of time I felt the electricity from her body float through mine.

 _You're probably just bored with girls._

The sentence floated back into my mind. Guess she wasn't right after all. I wasn't bored with girls. I still had it. Then why wasn't I influenced by the black-haired girl's touch? Why did I feel bored while we were kissing? Was something wrong with her? Probably. If I'm able to react as much to just a simple hand-touching like this, then who knew what I would do if something more happened. So I wasn't bored with girls. I just probably wasn't in the mood back then. Or the last couple of times.

"What's wrong?" I snapped out of the trance and looked towards blondie. She'd already removed her hand and was waiting for me to finish opening the freezer door so she could get her ice cream. I stumbled over my own actions, and pulled out the oreo-flavored one. I got one for me too.

As we walked towards the cashier, I couldn't help but stare at her hand.

We paid and got back into the car, and I saw the look of surprise on her face when I pulled up in front of the dorms. She glanced at me in confusion, not catching on.

"You should get your stuff."

Her mouth made an o-shape and she thanked me before leaving the vehicle. As I waited for her minutes stretched into decades and I started feeling frustrated. Did she decide to ditch me last minute? Did she also feel that fucking terrifying electricity when our hands touched and decided that I was a real creep? Maybe she was calling the cops as we speak.

It took me a moment to realize that the loud ringing wasn't my imagination, but in fact the ringtone on my phone. I answered the call as a distraction from the rising irritation of my thoughts.

"What's up, Gray?"

"Dude." The way his voice sounded made me think something horrible happened to him, "Can I crash at your place tonight?" My mind was going over all the possible ways I could turn him down. "I mean, not sleep over but like, stay and watch tv?"

"What?"

"Listen to this. I was chilling and eating a fucking corndog when Juvia came in and—"

"Juvia?"

"My girlfriend? The one from France? Never mind, anyways, I was eating a corndog and cutting a tomato with the sharpest knife in my house while watching tv and she started yelling something about some sale on some clothes and some shoes at some store and I freaked out because she surprised me and my knife flew out of my hand and—"

"Calm down, man I can't underst—"

"—and the knife went _straight through_ the fucking screen on the tv!"

"It did _what?"_

"And it fucking malfunctioned! Can you believe my rotten luck or what? So then I went to my bedroom since I have another tv there and I was so angry and jumpy at the moment that when I started throwing the shit in my room around—because it was really messy and I couldn't get through the piles of stuff—my trophy for last year's athletic meet fucking _knocked down_ the plasma screen!"

"Dude what the hell?"

"I don't even know man!" His voice sounded panicked. "Like I don't care about the stuff, my dad will get me more, but I fucking missed the game!"

"Soccer? Lamia Scale vs Blue Pegasus?"

"Yeah, that one!"

"I left it recording at home so I could watch it."

Gray's whimpers from the other side of the line almost made me laugh out loud, "I knew I could count on you!" And before I could think of some excuse he shouted "See you in an hour!" and hung up on me. I knew that nothing would stop him now. I could barricade the house and he would _still_ find a way inside.

A faint knock on the window facing the passenger seat next to me told me that she was back. I unlocked the door and watched her slide inside. She had a big duffel bag and a huge backpack on her, and I helped her push it on the backseat. I wanted to ask how the whole thing went since she looked kind of pale, but I had other things on my mind now thanks to Gray. Thinking of numerous ways I could lock her up in a room, I drove off to our next destination.

* * *

"You can sleep wherever." I said, dropping down the duffel bag in the hallway. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down before breaking the news, "Uh, my friend's coming over."

She blinked in confusion, "Alright."

"So if you're not interested in watching soccer with us you can just do your own thing and—"

"Where do you plan on taking him? The living room?"

"Yeah? Why?" We walked into said room and the question answered itself. The room was a fucking pigsty. I had dirty clothes, empty bottles and cardboard boxes of Dunkin' Donuts everywhere.

"Alright, listen. You go get some take out or whatever since we only got ice cream and I'll do the work here." If it weren't for the fact that she had her 'serious' face on I would've thought she was kidding. I knew better than to be told twice, and was out the door in a matter of seconds.

* * *

The line at Subway was a fucking monstrous one, like every person in town suddenly decided they want a turkey sandwich. I wasn't sure about what she'd like so I just got her the one with roasted chicken. Suddenly, images of her yelling at me for being a vegetarian crossed my mind, and I regretted not getting her a salad. But I bought like seven sandwiches so she could probably pick out the cabbage from all of them and nibble on it like a rabbit or whatever vegetarians do.

As I closed the door behind me and untied my converse, I could hear voices coming from the living room. Gray was here. I didn't even think to tell her to fucking hide. How the hell was I supposed to explain myself now? 'oh hey man, look at my new roomie'. I cursed the people at Subway for not eating somewhere else so I could actually come back before disaster struck.

My eyes landed on the floor and I noticed blue ballet flats. Did he bring his girlfriend over? And as though she was waiting for me to notice them, the voice of an unknown girl erupted in the room next to me. I prayed to God that blondie was stuck in the toilet with horrible diarrhea and they failed to notice her.

It was now or never, and I pushed open the door to the living room. I was greeted by the sight of my couch. It was visible. There was nothing on it. My eyes watered at the thought of her actually managing to clean everything by herself and I made a mental note to try and keep it that way. The next thing that I saw was my best friend laughing it off with my new roommate. Blondie was talking about something and he was chuckling like there was no tomorrow. His probable girlfriend was sitting on my armchair and reading a magazine I didn't even know I had.

They noticed me walk in and immediately stopped what they were doing. That's when I noticed that Gray was standing a little too close to the ex nurse.

"Well look who finally decided to grace us with his presence!" He shouted, and the girls laughed.

"Yeah yeah, play the goddamn game!" I shouted, trying to mask my annoyance as he turned on the tv. I set the bags on the table, and everyone had a sandwich in their hands in a matter of seconds. Everyone except blondie. She said she'd go get us some plates and disappeared in the kitchen.

Gray made me shake hands with the blue-haired one that turned out to be the lovesick immigrant. He said he had something to ask me, which was my cue to make up some lame excuse about getting some water and dashed for the kitchen.

I closed the door behind me and widened my eyes in surprise. She even washed the sink. I tried remembering what the kitchen actually looked like before and was impressed to finally find out that I actually had a trashcan hidden underneath all that rubbish. "I didn't have time to do the other rooms but I managed these." She sat crouched down, looking for plates in one of the many cupboards. I watched her pull them out one by one, and felt the need to say something.

"Look, I didn't intend to make you slave around or anything." I started, watching her back which was turned to me, "And about Gray, I didn't invite him and stuff, he kind of came on his own and—"

"Oh, I don't mind." She cut me off, "He's my friend too, after all."

Someone could throw a wrecking ball in my face and it still wouldn't hurt as much as this.

I opened and closed my mouth in an attempt to go on with the conversation, but what she said struck me too hard to even be able to give a proper reply. I had actually forgotten about the whole 'they know each other' thing. The realization that what he said was true almost killed me. So they really _were_ friends, huh? He wasn't making it up to joke around with me.

"Your friend too, huh?" I repeated, thinking of a non-idiotic way to ask around and try to get more information. "And how um, how did he become your friend?"

She looked at me as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "We started hanging out?"

I watched her look for glasses and something to drink inside the fridge, and tried calculating the best way to dig deeper.

"I mean," she suddenly spoke, catching me off guard, "We had a different sort of relationship back then, but we decided that we should stick to being friends since it worked out the best for us."

The color started draining from the world.

"Different kind of… _relationship_?" I mumbled, all sorts of images popping up in my mind as I took a chair and sat down in order to calm myself a little. So, they went out… they kissed, touched… maybe did something else, something _more…_

I wanted to inquire more details but she left the kitchen with an excuse that she had to take the plates in the living room. I sat there for a while more, and returned to where everyone else was, after convincing myself that what they had in common had absolutely nothing to do with me.

Three hours, one soccer game and one boring movie later, we sat sprawled on the couch and the armchairs, filling the room with talk and laughter. But something inside me wasn't letting me relax the way I wanted to, and I kept looking for signs that Gray and blondie still felt anything for each other. Gray's hand was on Juvia's shoulders the entire time, so I could breathe a little easier.

Juvia and blondie hit it off pretty well, and even exchanged phone numbers, which only made me realize that I didn't have her number either. And yet we knew each other for almost a month now. I tried acting as though I didn't really care, but I thought that I might have some sort of advantage over Gray if I got her number. But maybe he already had it. Maybe that's why he didn't ask for it. The swirls of questions flooded my head and I almost tuned out of the conversation.

After one more hour, they finally got up to leave and I felt bad for wanting them to get out the door as fast as possible. I liked my best friend's company, but for some reason he really irked me that night. I walked them out, watching Gray open the door of his car for Juvia, and asked him to wait a second before getting in himself. I turned around to make sure blondie wasn't here, finally feeling as though I had to find out the course of their relationship, as though it were a life or death matter.

"What's wrong?" He asked, leaning against his black Camaro.

"It's about blondie."

"Lucy?"

I felt a twist in my lower stomach at the casual way he mentioned her name. Now that I thought about it, I'd never really called her that. Maybe I did, but it must've been so long ago that I actually forgot.

"Yeah, her." I pocketed my hands to keep them from balling up into fists, "How did you two meet?"

"Dude to be honest, the _last_ thing I expected was running into her here. I thought you didn't like her at all, and to see her in your house was… well, confusing." He leaned his head to the side, "I asked her about it though, and I she explained the whole roommate thing."

"That wasn't what I asked." My voice came out harsher than I wanted it to.

"Uh, alright." He was beginning to become a little irritated as well, not that I blamed him, "I knew her from back home. When I used to live in that small town." I remembered Gray moving here in the beginning of high school, his dialect a bit different and his skin a bit more tanned than us, but those differences faded with time, "We were childhood friends and stuff. Nothing more, nothing less. Lived door to door. I remember her wearing these weird ballet slippers with a blue butterfly on them." Another churn in my stomach as he mentioned blondie in a way I haven't seen before, "We used to play all the time. She was the nicest kid on the block. Then we grew up and shit happened. I remember moving away in my first year of high school and she continued staying there until last year."

This finally answered how I had never managed to notice her before. It also helped me understand why she didn't have friends and why she didn't know anybody. She was probably shy when she got here and the others started bullying her or something.

"Were you two in a relationship?" The question came out so quickly I almost didn't notice I asked it. The surprise showing on his face stung me more than I had expected. Was he surprised that I found him out?

"What the hell? No." He shook his head, but I made a face saying I didn't believe him, "There was an incident back in second year, and I went back to help her with it, but we never dated or anything like that. It was a different sort of _relationship_." There's that word again. When he saw that I wasn't convinced his irritation grew even more, "Look, I'm telling you nothing happened."

"So you never even kissed?"

"Once or twice maybe, but on the cheek."

I flared up.

"Do you have a thing for her?"

"Dude wha—I have a fucking girlfriend in case you missed it!" He shouted, and I noticed Juvia lean in so she could look at us from the window. Gray noticed it too so he kept his voice down this time, "And why the hell do you care about that so suddenly? Didn't you hate her guts?"

"Maybe I do and maybe I don't. That has nothing to do with you."

"Neither does my relationship with her, but you still asked." I opened my mouth to snap back but I didn't have a valid argument. In a fit of rage and helplessness I slammed my hand on the top of his car, scaring both me and him and probably Juvia who was still waiting for him inside.

"Back. Off." I spat out, and he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.

"I _am_ backed off, you idiot!"

We stood there silently for a while more, before he finally let go of me and pocketed his hands. "Dude, seriously, if you plan on keeping her for yourself just locking her in your house isn't going to do it. You can't keep antagonizing people like this because not everyone will tolerate you like I did." He ran a hand through his hair, "Do you even know what you want?"

"I don't want anything I was just curious."

"Are you also curious about my past relationship with Erza or the way things with Juvia are going now?"

"Um, no?" I said it matter-of-factly.

"And what does that tell you?" He taunted.

"That you're a cunt?"

Gray sighed louder than I've ever heard him, and the tension in the air finally dropped down to a minimum. "All I'm saying is, you shouldn't just jump the first guy that says he knows her. Yeah, we still keep in touch and I talk to her every now and then, but that's only because I treat her like a little sister." The statement calmed me down a little, "But I still care about her very much."

He stepped closer to me and I felt the tension rise back up again. He pulled off the most serious face I've ever seen on him, and it even surprised me a little, "So don't you dare fucking use her, we clear?"

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed blondie step out next to the door of the house, probably wondering why I was still out. I didn't want her to see or hear this, so I cleared my throat and looked her way in order to make Gray aware of her presence. She was further away so she couldn't really hear what we were saying, but still.

"We clear?" He repeated, and I felt the strong need to roll my eyes, but I stopped myself.

"Fucking crystal."

* * *

The man was holding her in a choke-hold. She screamed bloody murder but in forests like this, there's nobody that can hear you or come to your rescue. It was a death-trap and she knew it. Her eyes rolled back in her head as spit started dripping down the side of her mouth and her body slowly started losing consciousness. The man was struggling to keep her from kicking him and escaping. Low sounds of heels digging in the gravel were the only thing that muffled her dying gasps. It was over before it even began.

I looked away from the low-budget horror movie she was watching when I came in, and sat down on the couch next to her. She had a blanket over her head, and her back was pushed up against the pillows on the couch, as she made herself comfortable. I tried to concentrate on the film but what Gray said was still circulating somewhere in the back of my head.

"Is it good?" I asked, and she nodded from under her barricade. I sat there motionless and bored. The movie was so fake it almost made me want to leave my own house, but I didn't have anything better to do.

The lady died a while ago, but now her killer was the one who was being chased around the forest by some unknown persona for some unknown reason. I inwardly groaned at how fucking stupid the whole thing was, when I noticed her watching it with amazing intensity. She was totally concentrated and paid no attention to her surroundings.

And as though my hands moved on their own, I gave her shoulder a nudge and screamed into her ear. The shriek that ensued made me regret my decision. She was so freaked out she started waving around with her hands and hitting me wherever they landed. I made a move to grab them and calm her down, but she started kicking and I slipped and… well…

"Get off of me!" She shouted, her face just centimeters away from my own. I was pinning her down the way I pin my other 'girls' down whenever I was about to start something. I felt the blood in my veins pump faster and it took me a while to realize that it was because my heart thought I was on some sort of fucking marathon. She struggled for a few seconds, then calmed down when she realized I wasn't hurting her or anything.

Her eyes found mine, and I stared at them until I couldn't anymore, looking away and breaking the contact like I always did. I wondered what I saw there that didn't allow me to stare even more. My gaze fell on her mouth, and I felt a heat wave rush down my body. We were both quiet, our ragged breathing being the only thing that filled the room save the horror music in the background. I let my eyes travel down the side of her neck, swallowing the spit that gathered up in my mouth.

My eyes managed to look into hers again, as I felt my head move a bit lower. My voice came out low and raspy, "Scared, blondie?"

She parted her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. I couldn't stop looking down at the way her full lips stayed open in welcome. It felt like all the times I pushed those girls away in the last few days were coming back to get me. Revenge, huh?

 _There was an incident back in second year, and I went back to help her with it, but we never dated or anything like that._

Gray's words appeared in my head and I felt my whole body paralyze. I totally failed to notice what he said earlier. I was so preoccupied with the nature of their relationship that I missed a huge sign.

 _an incident back in second year_

Last year? Something happened? I wanted to ask. I tried calling out 'blondie', but changed my mind last minute.

"Lu—"

An ear-splitting scream from the television caused us both to jump in surprise. We rolled off the couch, switching positions so that now she was the one pinning me to the floor. She rubbed the back of her head where she was apparently hurt, and sat up on the lower part of my stomach.

I prayed to god I wouldn't lose my cool and attack her.

"What happened? Did he die?" She asked, looking back toward the tv. I examined her and my heart almost came to a stop when I noticed that her sweater was a raised up a bit, and a bare part of her super-flat stomach was showing. Alright Natsu, you can do this. Keep your cool.

Think dry thoughts. Dried herbs. Sand. Dried sponge.

She moved a little so she was more comfortable.

 _Deserts deserts deserts deserts_

Didn't I hate her one upon a time?

She set one of her hands atop my chest, continuing to watch the movie without even bothering to get off of me.

 _Deserts deserts deserts DESERTS_

The neck-hole of her sweater slid down so that it uncovered a small part of her shoulder.

 _SAHARA IS THE LARGEST SUBTROPICAL DESERT IN NORTHERN AFRICA_

"What's wrong?" She asked, leaning in to take a look at my face.

 _SAHARA COVERS A SURFACE AREA OF ABOUT 3.5 MILION SQUARE MILES_

She finally got off me, and I filled my lungs with air after realizing that I had forgotten to breathe. I got up and sat next to her, feeling my heart rate slowly decrease.

Remember just how much you hater her.

"You wanted to say something earlier?" She mumbled, and I remembered almost calling out her name.

"Um, yeah." The sounds of gunshots from the movie erupted in the room, but we remained unfazed. I stared at her widened eyes as a bloodcurdling scream of a dying girl sliced the air between us. But none of that mattered now. "I have a question."

I watched her lean her head backwards, giving me her full attention.

What was I feeling at the moment? Was it really hate?

If it was, it was the strongest feeling of hate I'd ever experienced.

* * *

 **A/N: Yay! A new one!**

 **This week I'll be up to my neck with exams and stuff, so I won't be able to write anything probably. That is why I wanted to update this as fast as I could.**

 **As for people asking about Stop Playing Hard to Get, I will update it when I see fit, since I only have three chapters left to finish it, and I really don't want to rush the ending. Thanks for asking about it though.**

 **I love chocolate and you!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** **Me revoilà! And I passed my french exam! And all my other exams! GO ME!**

 **This super victorious mood calls for a new chapter!**

* * *

 **11**

 **Eyes**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _"I have a question."  
I watched her lean her head backwards, giving me her full attention. What was I feeling at the moment? Was it really hate?  
If it was, it was the strongest feeling of hate I'd ever experienced. _

* * *

I stared at the words before my eyes, my mind unable to fathom the gravity of the situation. Had anyone ever told me that this would be the way I'd spend my Saturday afternoon, I would've laughed in their face and maybe thrown an insult back. And yet there I was, seated on the dining table like a child in detention, trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Japanese invasion of China?" I voiced out, my eyes glued to the history textbook she left open in front of me. She somehow managed to dig through my room in the span of one night and I found out that I actually had a floor underneath it all.

When I tried asking her about Gray, I panicked and asked her to help me clean my room instead, and she actually did it. We were done around five in the morning, and I have no recollection of any of it. I just woke up this morning with my head on the ground and my feet on top of the garbage bag we filled up. Blondie wasn't any better; sleeping with her upper body pressed up against the wall. It wasn't comfortable at all, yet I somehow managed not to feel tired.

"Can you explain to me what we're doing?"

"Studying, of course." I could almost feel the life drain out of every pore in my body.

"Do you even know what 'studying' is an abbreviation of?"

"Um… it isn't?" She leafed through her own copy of the textbook, searching for the same page she opened mine on.

"Student and dying." I rested my elbows on the table, glancing toward the chocolate bars she laid out for us, "And I don't want to be put in a grave so soon."

"Oh come on," she tucked back a strand of loose hair, "I've been studying my whole life and I'm normal."

"I wouldn't exactly call you normal." I reached for a snickers, already hungry even though she made me a perfect omelet for breakfast.

My eyes travelled toward the softness of her lips, and the way they looked while she had her head bent over a book. They moved, pulling me back into the real world, "Alright, so the book says that Nanking was the capital of China at that time, and it was taken over by the Japanese in December 1937." She used the pencil in her hand to scratch the side of her neck, a gesture I found incredibly arousing. "Says there were a lot of casualties on the Japanese side."

"Actually," I tried busying myself with talking to keep from staring at her, "During that time Nanking was the one that suffered the most damage. A lot of civilians were killed by the Japanese as well, even though they literally did nothing wrong. The Japanese soldiers were known as the cruelest of that time, and they used to make 'mountains' of the people they'd killed by throwing them on top of each other. They are even rumors that they cut off their hair or their organs and show them to others as a souvenir and proof of their achievements. Women were raped and children were killed with no mercy, not just the soldiers who tried to protect their city. It was a fucking bloodbath."

I hadn't even realized the length of my speech until I saw the way she was looking at me. Her eyes were widened, and her mouth was agape. Her hand had stopped midair, the pencil dangling from between her fingers. Her expression was frozen solid, and I couldn't make out which way my talking had struck her. She seemed disgusted by what I'd said.

"That's…" she finally managed choking out, "That's amazing."

"What?" I almost face-palmed myself.

"How do you know that?" her eyes scanned the pages, "It's not written here. There's only one short mention of Nanking and then it's all about some yellow river and Wunan—"

" _Wuhan,"_ I corrected, and she slammed her hands on the table, pushing her upper body in the air.

"Exactly." She leaned against me, my breath mixing with hers as I tried pulling back in my chair, "How do you know all this?" He eyes glinted in a way that made me want to scream out loud for no apparent reason.

I felt warmth spread through my cheeks and a wave of some weird feeling rush over me in a second.

"Well, I…" I shrunk in my chair, suddenly not feeling so comfortable with the closeness as I gripped my hands on the sides of my table so that I wouldn't be tempted to touch anywhere else, "I read about it some time ago and it interested me sort of. I guess I know a thing or two about the wars and—"

"Amazing!" She finally retracted, and I felt a mixture of relief and disappointment fill me up, "I never knew you were good at history!"

"Well mostly about world war two—"

"How intriguing!" She commented, and I had to touch my cheeks to make sure they weren't on fire. "If somebody told me you actually knew something other than picking up girls I would've laughed in their face."

"I see you're still on my case about that." The mood darkened, and I felt her presence stronger than ever. I reached across the table, scooping up a lock of blonde hair that fell out from her messy ponytail. "Are you maybe jealous that I'm looking at everyone but you?" A playful smile tugged at the corners of my lips, as I watched her get a smug look of her own.

"You're looking at me now, aren't you?"

Whatever argument I had planned was now long gone, as I felt the strong need to look away from those alluring eyes, like I always did. There was something inside that was keeping me from spending the rest of my life looking at them. I didn't remove my hand, and instead kept twirling her hair around my finger, the icy atmosphere around us melting to a certain degree.

"You win this round, blondie." I admitted, and my eyes finally looked away from hers. I broke off the contact first, which was sort of a routine now. What was she doing that allowed her to stare down at me so easily?

We were quickly done with history since I explained most parts to her. She was astonished to see that I wasn't the total loser she mistook me for. I actually knew most of the stuff from the stories and books my mother read to me back when I still lived with her. Having placed that out of the way, she was now determined to teach me about math. I sucked at math just like every other person I knew did, so I wasn't actually pleased to be doing this, yet I somehow couldn't manage to tell her to stop these charades.

"Okay, so you're supposed to use the quadratic formula here in order to get the two values of x." She spoke in a different language than me, and if it weren't for the fact that she was directly in front of my face, I probably would've tuned out a while ago. My eyes travelled down the huge hoodie she had on, the sleeves almost covering her hands. I was annoyed by the fact that I still hadn't seen her wearing clothes that a normal girl would wear. Did she even have them?

"-and here you need the root of 144 which is 12, so that you can continue with the quadratic formula and—"

I wonder what it would take to get her to take that off. It would have to be really hot or something. Like, if I were to turn up the heating and watch her get hotter and hotter until she can't take it anymore and strip in front of me.

"—which means that the first solution for x is 8. And now for the second one we just need to use the negative of the 12 we got before and—"

Her hands glided across the paper, as she kept talking about nonsense I couldn't understand. And I was set in devising my master plan.

"—and that being said and done, the second solution for x is?" She stopped talking abruptly and looked at me. I swallowed down the fear I got when her eyes met mine. What was she talking about, again? Quadretelic… Question… Queasy formula? What?

My eyes scanned the paper in front of us, as I tried analyzing what she'd written in the span of two seconds. I felt my brain go into overdrive, and when I raised my head, I felt the awful need to admit that I didn't get a single thing. But it seemed as though that sort of confession wasn't necessary. She gave me a pitiful look, and started explaining once again. I listened to her this time, and it was actually not that hard to understand, seeing as though I remembered learning this in freshman year.

"So the second answer is -4?" I asked, as I wrote it down in my notebook. She nodded excitedly, glad to have been able to teach me something. I felt proud as well, in a way that proved to her I wasn't the stupidest person alive.

We solved a few more of the problems, and I was almost glad to be doing that with her. She was an amazing teacher, and everything she said seemed to magically stick inside my head.

"I'm going to take a shower, if it's okay with you." She said, and I nodded, taking the books and notebooks in my hands to finally clear up the table.

"And I'll order some pizza."

As I walked towards my room, I couldn't help but notice how coordinated we seemed to become.

* * *

"Did you order?" I heard her voice from the other side of the wall. She was done with her shower and was looking around for me. Even though the idea of hide and seek around the house seemed pretty appealing to me, I decided to come out of my room and confirm her question.

"Yeah I—"

I could understand the way protons work. The way the world is created by atoms and how they all bind together to create some sort of matter that is later used for the creation of every living or nonliving thing. I could understand the ways of gravity, the pull it has on us. The way the planet orbits the sun alongside others of its kind without changing course. The way our bodies are accustomed to parting oxygen from air and using it to our advantage.

But never in a million years would I be able to understand how she could look the way she did.

I felt all the air I had previously absorbed leave the crevice of my lungs, as I allowed myself a good long look. I had never seen her in a tank top before in my life, and I scanned every detail as though engraving it in my memory. It was white, with the black whiskers of a cat printed across her chest. Her chest. _Her fucking chest._ I almost thought I was dreaming when my eyes automatically ended up staring that way. If half of the girls her age had that sort of… advantage(?) they would never wear anything to cover it up. We would have cleavages everywhere we looked, and yet she never even wore anything remotely close to revealing. A magnetic pull I couldn't explain dragged my gaze across her super thin stomach, and down the full length of her legs. I finally understood the 'legs for days' sentence. How could a person as small and innocent as her have those amazing legs? I pushed aside the image of running my tongue down them, and concentrated on her hair which was let down. She rarely had it like that, not to mention the fact that it was dripping wet, and small droplets dripped down the side of her neck, disappearing under the shirt into places I could only fantasize about.

Did I mention she was wearing shorts? Because those were the most unnecessary shorts in the world. If it were up to me, she didn't need to wear them at all. Just unbutton them, let them slide down her legs and fall to the ground.

Blondie—no. _Lucy_ looked amazing. She had the most perfect body I had ever laid my eyes upon, and it brought all the girls I've ever been with to shame.

When I felt that I was literally out of breath, I opened my mouth to refill my lungs. She stood just a few feet away, so close and so _vulnerable._ If I thought about it rationally, there was no place for her to run. By the time she could say the word 'help', I'd be pinning her to the wall. Raise her up a bit so she wraps her legs around my waist, run one hand down her side, and entangling the other in her hair. Her back would be pushed up against the wall, no route of escape possible. But what if she didn't want to escape? What if she kisses me back the very second I crash my lips on her own? A mini-explosion would shake the world at the fact that I managed to snug such an amazing person.

I stared down at her mouth, trying to chase away all those weird fantasies, as I noticed that it was actually moving. My eyes darted back to hers. "What did you say?"

"I said, someone's at the door."

And she was right. There was someone ringing the doorbell. I guess she noticed I was a little bit out of it, and offered to go get the door herself.

The moment I was left alone, I had to cling to the wall to support myself from falling. What the hell was that? Surprise attack? Damn this girl knew how to handle herself.

I didn't have a lot of time to regain my posture though, since she was back in an instant. She had two pizzas in her hand and gestured me to sit down on the table and wait for her to get the plates and stuff. A moment later I'm sitting across an astonishing person and eating a pepperoni pizza. The flavor was tasteless compared to the thoughts going through my head.

"I see you've changed your style." I mumbled between bites, watching her pause her chewing to look at me.

"What do you mean?"

"You lost the baggy clothes." I explained, waving around a slice of pizza in my hand as an obvious gesture to her skimpy attire.

"Yeah, it's really hot in here."

"Or is it just you?" I said, a playful smile appearing on my lips. She rolled her eyes, already used to the teasing I'd subjected her to numerous times in the past. "So," I tried sounding as normal as my vocal cords would allow it, "Are you going to start dressing like that from now on?"

She raised an eyebrow, "You think I'm going to abruptly change what I wear just because I was feeling too hot once?" I watched her roll her eyes, "I don't think it works that way. I like wearing baggy clothes since it's not as warm out yet. When it gets hot, I'll start changing."

She was right, to be honest. In all the movies I've seen, once a bookworm starts wearing whorish clothes, she doesn't stop. So I guess I kind of expected this to turn out that way too. But in some weird and twisted way, I was glad she wouldn't be seen walking around in clothes like that.

Trying my best to concentrate on the food instead of her, I took another bite.

* * *

"Who's this?" I heard her ask, as I surfed the channels on the tv. I was looking for some sort of entertainment, but it looks like she was the one that found it. Raising my head above the armrest on the couch I was laying on, I noticed she was staring at the framed picture on the wall.

"My mother." I replied, an instant regret for not taking it down flooding through me.

"Your mother?" She repeated, sound a little bit confused, "Wow you look nothing alike."

"I'm adopted."

Had it been anyone else, had it been _anyone_ at all that asked that question, I probably would've laughed it off or something like that, and then tried to change the topic of conversation. And yet there I was, spewing out the truth like it meant nothing. The regret on her face when she turned to look at me almost made me second guess saying those words, but I didn't. I was glad to finally say it out loud. Gray and Erza were the only ones I'd ever said that to. And even though she didn't mean anything to me, I thought blondie should know it too.

"I'm so sorry," an apologetic look crossed her face, "I didn't think—"

"Yeah." I cut off the apologies threatening to ensue.

She stayed quiet for a while, even though her curiosity was so demanding I could even feel it in the air around us. Her light steps echoed on the marble floor, as she plopped herself on the small free spot on the couch beside me. I brought my legs closer to me so that she would have a nicer spot to sit in.

She finally cracked, voicing her other questions. "What about your father?"

"Never had one."

"Oh, I didn't—"

"If you apologize again, I'll kick you." A diminishing smile ghosted on her lips.

"But I haven't seen your mother anywhere." She looked around the house, as if expecting her to suddenly appear out of somewhere.

"Yeah, I moved out." I said, "I mean I'm eighteen. I thought it was the time to finally let her head rest from me."

"I'm sure she doesn't miss you." She laughed, filling the quiet room with a bit of cheerfulness.

"I still visit her every week on Sundays." I said, her head snapping towards me.

"Tomorrow's Sunday." She deadpanned.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." I rolled my eyes.

"You're going?"

"Yes."

She looked down at her hands, intertwining her fingers in an attempt to busy herself. I studied the way she avoided eye-contact, like she always did when she wanted to ask a question she thought I wouldn't want to answer. I decided to let her off the hook this time, and try to escape whatever it was she wanted to inquire.

"You don't look half bad with that type of clothing," I said, watching her turn around in surprise. She clearly didn't expect that sort of thing from me at such a moment.

"You think?" Her eyes glinted, "Ah, I was wondering why you hadn't brought any girls since I came, and it looks like I was your newest target all along…"

Ignoring the fact that I _really_ forgot to go out for my daily flings, I let a smile creep up on her, "And what if you are?" Pushing up my upper body with the help of my elbows, I brought my face up closer to her, "What if I'm just sitting still, planning a way to catch you in my trap?"

"I'm not as helpless as you think I am, Dragneel," I felt the hairs on my neck stick up from her mention of my surname, "I'll run away before you could do anything."

It was like someone else grabbed the control stick for my body, and made me raise up my hand to grasp her by the upper part of her arm. I pulled her down, making her crash on top of me. She backed up, as much as the small distance between us would allow her, and we laid trapped in each other's limbs. Her legs between mine, her hands on my chest, her hair across my face. I blew a breath of air out, clearing my eyes from the blonde locks, and casting a light breeze across her cheeks.

"You'll run away, huh?" The corners of my lip twitched upward, "I'd like to see you try."

"Would you?" She taunted, "Or would you like to see me do something else?"

I was surprised to say the least.

She'd actually replied to one of my innuendos without insulting me in any sort of way. The way we communicated started changing in the past couple of days, and led to a world where I could joke around with her without feeling like a total perverted maniac. We stood in that position for a lot more than I thought we would, until she freed herself from my grasp and sat back upwards again. I did the same.

"You think you can overpower me," I started, watching her give me her full attention, "But I'm a guy. You say you can run away or hit me or something, but I'll have you down beneath me before you understand what's going on. You won't know what hit you." I ran my hand through my hair, "I wouldn't do that, of course, but you should still be careful."

"I know you wouldn't," she seemed somewhat offended, "You helped me out in the nurse's office when I was having trouble. By the way, thank you for that. I don't think I ever thanked you properly."

"You can thank me with a kiss," I pursed my lips, laughing. But I was actually happy to receive something other than an insult from her.

And before I could comprehend the situation, I felt the sensation of her soft plump lips brush of my right cheek. All kinds of possible scenarios flashed through my brain, and she was naked in all of them.

"As I was saying," she continued, clearly unfazed by what she did, "You're just toying around, so you wouldn't do anything to me."

"You're right but you should still be careful," I regained my composure, "I'm a guy after all."

She let her gaze linger on me for the next few minutes, watching me under close supervision as though I was being examined. I felt like I was enduring some sort of inspection, and couldn't look into her eyes as usual. A small yet comfortable smile appeared on her features, as she leaned her head on the couch, not moving her eyes from me for a second.

I finally mustered up the courage to look her straight in the eyes, and it seemed like that was the only thing she was waiting for. She blinked, her fingers tracing circles on her bare thigh, "Can I come next time?"

I didn't understand what she said, but didn't get a chance to ask for an explanation.

"Tomorrow." Blon— _Lucy_ looked at me with the eyes of a thousand setting suns, casting a spell of warmth on my body, and I felt my fingers dig into the fabric of the pillows on the couch. Her body was no match for those eyes. She could strip down right now and I wouldn't feel what I'm feeling at the moment. My hands clenched into fists, sweat dripping down my palms. She was just _too fucking close._

"Tomorrow?" I echoed, the room filled with nothing but the arrhythmic thumps of my heart.

The back of her hand was brushing against my leg, something I was fully conscious of during the entire time. She let one of her legs drop down to the floor, the sight of bare skin exciting me. My eyes darted to and fro her lips to her eyes, both sending chills down my spine as I once again questioned my growing feelings for this peculiar creature.

It was hate, right? I hated her? Or was it just a strong dislike? Is there even a difference?

Does your mouth clog up when you touch someone you hate?

I stared at the sight of her parted lips. The same lips that kissed me on the cheek. Resisting the urge to place my palm on the spot she kissed, I swallowed hard.

The temperature in the room was rising by itself?

"Can I come with you when you visit your mother?"

I felt my head nod even though I didn't actually think it through. If she wants to meet my mom, whatever. Let her. It's not like I'm keeping the person that raised me a secret.

I tried convincing myself about that, but truth was I'd agree to whatever she asked of me right then. She could tell me to give her everything I ever own and I would write a will. She could ask me any deep and daring question and I would answer it. Fuck bodies, have you seen those eyes? Powers, gravity, magic and science bound together to create those daring orbs I can never seem to stare into.

I can't look into her eyes because I hate her, right? Or did I dislike her? Or what?

But I felt that at that moment, the world was limitless.

She could tell me to throw myself out of a plane and I'd call the airport to book a ticket.

* * *

 **A/N: I love that last line tbh**

 **Anyways, I got a lot of people wishing me luck on my exams, so I owe you guys for passing them haha**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it.**

 **I'm planning to make this story a bit longer than I usually do, what do you think?**

 **Are the chapters long enough or should I go for more?**

 **Tell me your opinion in the reviews, and thanks for being here for me!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the positive and negative feedback! All those reviews help me grow as a writer.**

* * *

 **12**

 **Trains**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _Fuck bodies, have you seen those eyes? Powers, gravity, magic and science bound together to create those daring orbs I can never seem to stare into. I can't look into her eyes because I hate her, right? Or did I dislike her? Or what?  
But I felt that at that moment, the world was limitless.  
She could tell me to throw myself out of a plane and I'd call the airport to book a ticket.  
_

* * *

The wind blew the hair around the sides of her head, as she turned around to face me, "How much longer until we get there?" I'd almost smiled at the sight of her rebellious locks fighting against the white beanie I lent her since it was a bit colder this time around. She started walking backwards so she could look at me, and I felt my hands slide into my pockets, feeling completely at peace with the world.

"I told you we should've gotten my car." I repeated for the fifth time that day, watching her roll her eyes like she always did. Weird, how I got accustomed to her small gestures and habits so quickly.

"No way! You're always driving that thing around. When was the last time you walked?" I tilted my head, trying to recall the last time I'd actually jogged more than a mile.

Luckily, we'd reached our target before I could come up with an answer. I cursed letting her walk in front of me, since I had to call out for her to stop. She did, but I couldn't see the expression her face was making when she noticed where we were. We walked inside, the doors wide open and the lawn mowed to perfection.

Strolling down the white floors and passing multiple doors until we stood in front of the one I recognized as _that room,_ we were greeted by complete and utter silence. I expected to see people rush around the hallways as per usual, but it seemed like the universe worked in my favor today, and there wasn't a lot of noise. She was standing so close to me that our shoulders were touching, and yet I had no courage to look her in the eyes. I was ashamed to admit that I was scared.

Regret had been kicking my internal organs the entire time we walked here, and I felt alright only when I told myself that we would probably never talk after this. I wouldn't need to worry about what she'd say or how she'd react. We would break off any contact.

I pushed open the door when I realized that we'd come too far to back away now. She wanted answers and I couldn't give them to her. But there we were. I stood frozen at the door, and yet she walked in. It was like she'd been here countless of times before. Like she knew what do to and how to do it. I regretted bringing her. I regretted ever agreeing to this charade but it was over now and I was over and the world was over.

"Here she is," I said, the void in my heart voiced through my beaten down vocal cords. "Mom, this is my new…" I paused, grasping for words.

"Friend." Blondie offered, her back turned to me so that I couldn't see what she thought. I walked past the counters, the white bedsheets, the pale walls and next to the drapes, pulling them apart so that the rays of sunlight could enter the dim room. My eyes landed on the bedside table, a small vase with half-wilted flowers laid out on top of it, as though something to be proud of.

I switched my weight from one foot to the other, suddenly unsure where I was supposed to look and what I was supposed to do. Blink faster or slower? Is my heartbeat audible? How many breaths per minute?

"Hello."

I forced my eyes to look at the hospital bed. The sight of my adopted mother's drained body greeted me like a rash, and I looked away instantaneously. My soul crippled and my lungs got polluted by the stale air. Blondie seemed to notice it too, and she strolled over to the window to freshen up the place. She had trouble with opening it, and I saw it as a perfect opportunity to do something and _not_ feel like I'm out of place.

I inched closer, sticking the front of my body behind hers, our hands overlapping on the handle. The smooth skin on her hand had a soothing effect on me, and I prolonged opening the window on purpose. A small breeze seeped through the crack as I pushed the glass surface even further outside, as though the fresh air could heal the atmosphere. She didn't move beneath me, still standing like a statue. I took the opportunity to lean closer to her ear. "Disappointed yet?" I whispered.

She flipped around with an expression I rarely saw her put on display. Anger.

"And why _would_ I be?" She spat out, and I had to step back in confusion and let her pass.

She pushed past me and strolled back to the side of the bed, smiling gently at the only parent I'd even known.

"Hello," she repeated, even though my mother made no sign to indicate she had heard her. Lucy's eyes scanned the diagnose on the flipchart next to the bed, and the scribbles I couldn't understand clearly meant something to her since she looked back in complete understanding.

Had I not been here a thousand times before, I'd think that she was actually one of the nurses. The way she looked through the papers about my mother's illness; the normal, non-pitying looks she cast in her direction, and the reassuring smile she sent my way all proved to me that she wasn't the terrible person I'd taken her for the first time I saw her. Seeing her in a room like this, she just reminded me more of the nurse I always made excuses to go see.

"It's too bad she's asleep though, I wanted to meet her." She said, and walked closer to me, wrapping the blouse she wore closer to her body to fight off the chilly air.

"Actually, I'm glad she's asleep." I said, feeling a bit guilty to finally admit it. "I wouldn't want you talking to her."

"Why not?" She asked, staring out of the window at something I couldn't see. "Are you afraid I'll be grossed out?"

"Kind of."

She gave me a long, hard look. The one teachers give when their student knows nothing on the subject. "Schizophrenia isn't something to be grossed out of." I flinched at the mention of that word, the wound still fresh in my heart. "Who else knows about this?"

"Gray, Erza…" I racked my brain, "You."

"Erza?"

"We're not friends anymore." I explained, and she raised a brow.

"Because you were being a dick?"

"Because I was being a dick."

We laughed lightly, and the mood got a bit better. I stopped my half-hearted chuckle to stare at her. This was the version that most suited her appearance: eyes closed as she's laughing the day away. Her hair is falling in numerous directions and it makes me feel a bit proud to have my hat on her head.

"Trains?"

The air between us felt like it got separated by a wall, and I had to look into her eyes to muster up some courage. My gaze landed on the now opened blue eyes I had feared seeing this day.

 _Only for today. Stay asleep only for today,_ I'd wished the whole way here, and yet it didn't seem to come true.

"Natsu, do you hear them?" The voice seemed faint, _breakable_ even. Like it was being held together by the lone moments of sanity she had every now and then. The rest was all a lucid dream conjured up by the dark and twisted corridors of her imagination.

"What are you talking abo—"

"Trains?" Blondie interrupted me, inching closer to the bed as she pulled up a chair to sit on. My mother's eyes followed the new guest. If there was anything that could surprise her in this state, me bringing a girl over would probably be it. But instead, she just watched her without a word.

"Yes," she spoke after a decent amount of time. I was honestly surprised to see her talk to someone that wasn't me or the chubby nurse that's in charge of her. "Yes, trains."

"What kind of trains?" Blondie set her elbows on the bed next to my mother's laying figure, setting her chin atop her hands as though she was enjoying the view of a wonderful artwork. "Electric ones? The ones that speed past you before you can even see them? Disappearing into some unknown location and leaving you far, far behind? Or the old ones, the ones that have a steam-powered engine?" She locked eyes with my mother, both of them forming some sort of bubble that kept me out of the loop, "The ones that you can hear from miles away, pacing the tracks and picking up villagers ready to visit the big city?" Something in the way my mother was breathing changed, "And what are they transporting? Animals? Hay? Is there a small child, sitting next to the open window, leafing through an old storybook?"

"Storybook," My mother repeated, "Goldie and the three bears."

"I love that one." Blondie allowed herself to lay her head next to my mother's hand. "Would you like me to tell you the story?"

My mother wasn't crazy. She didn't scream out of nowhere, barricade herself in a fortress of items, crawl under the bed and shake rapidly, or try to throw herself out of the window. She was a normal, functioning human being which only seemed to live inside her own world. She could be fully rational, giving me parental advice and helping me through tough decisions. She just wasn't sure of herself. What she represented in this world. She would often start speaking nonsense, and pointing at things that aren't there, but she never tried persuading me that what she said was true. She knew full well how to separate her reality from ours. She just chose to live in both of them.

She was a completely normal, full-grown human being, and yet when she got offered to listen to a children's story, her eyes welled up with tears and she accepted it as though she was being offered the entire world.

But who knows… maybe in her universe, hearing a story from Lucy really _was_ the entire world.

* * *

"Cappuccino?" I raised my head. I'd been sitting on the bench outside the hospital for who-knows-how-long now. The moment she started narrating the story, I'd felt like I was intruding on something private, something _personal._ Telling myself that they could manage without me, I left the room in search of something to amuse me. And here I was.

"Yeah," I gladly accepted the paper cup with the hospital's logo, swallowing down the awful coffee with incredible speed. "So… what are your _thoughts?"_

She stared at the street in front of us.

"I bet I know what you're thinking." My fist clenched around the cardboard, "Ah, so this is why he's like that. This is why he's unable to keep a girl or a friend and this is why he's always trying to get into someone's pants. This is why he's crazy. Because his mother is craz—"

My nose inhaled the strong aroma of vanilla as the milkshake she had now dripped down the side of my face. By now the paper cup in my hand had turned to a ball of carton. I threw it at her, using my other arm to wipe away the liquid splattered on my head.

"What the fuck are you doing, you idiot?" I barked out, abruptly standing up to face her.

She was unfazed.

"What do you think you're saying?" She yelled out for the first time in quite a while, and I was almost taken aback. "I never said your mother was—"

"But you thought it." I taunted, stepping closer so that there was only an inch of space between us.

"I didn't think anything of the sort!" She jammed her forefinger in my chest, and I grabbed her hand, keeping it there, on the side of my heart.

"Yes you did! Admit it!"

"You knew I wouldn't think of that sort of thing or you wouldn't have brought me here!"

"I brought you here because you asked!"

"You could've made up some sort of lie!"

Only I couldn't. Not when it was her. And not when it was my mom.

"Oh yeah?" I screamed, people looking around like _we_ were the sick ones. "Then what did you think, huh? What was the first thing that came to your fucking mind?"

"Her eyes, you jerk!"

The tension around us died down, and I was suddenly aware of the way her hand fitted in my own.

"She has the most amazing eyes." Her expression softened, as she placed her other hand on top of mine. She grasped it with both of her own, pulling them close to her, "She has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen." A crack in her voice, "Bluer than the afternoon sky and clearer than the drop of morning dew." I saw tears well up in the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them drop. "And her voice; so soft and motherly. Her hair is whiter than the snow I love so much, and the way she listens to stories just makes me want to talk forever. Talk until the world ends and until my vocal cords snap and until I am able to talk no more…" The ghost of a broken smile lingered on her lips, "She's the mother you should be proud of."

Driven by reflexes or the depth of my feelings, I looked towards the window where I somehow knew she would be standing. My mother waved down at us from the distance, looking happier than I've ever seen her since she got admitted to the hospital.

"You're on the train!" She shouted, and I turned towards blondie. Towards Lucy. The wind blew stronger, chasing away my beanie from the top of her head, letting her blond locks run free, clearing away any signs that we had fought a second before. The ways of the setting sun illuminated her eyes, as she smiled back at my mother, waving around her hand. Her other one was still firmly holding my own, and I looked back at my perfectly normal parent. "You're on the train, goldie!"

"There are no bears…" I said lowly, watching them look toward me.

I had the attention of two of the most important girls of my life on me, and I felt the need to shout. Scream.

"I won't let there be any bears in the story!"

And as stupid as it sounded, it felt like something profound. Like the citation of the world's most important novelist.

"Let's go," I heard Lucy say, and turned to look at her smiling figure, "Before they get a room ready for us as well."

* * *

That night the moon shone brighter than the sun could ever hope to.

* * *

My hands slid down the base of her back, grabbing the sides of her ass as I kissed her as though I was on some sort of contest. I had no restrictions, no forbidden acts. I could do whatever I wanted and yet I felt as though I was being forced to.

I'd told myself earlier that day that I needed to get out more, and having blondie at home with me wasn't helping my social standings at all. So, doing what any other normal male teenager in this world would do, I left home the minute I woke up, in search of new pray and new adventures.

Almost disgusted by the way her tongue slipped into my mouth, I forced myself to kiss back at rapid speed, as though it would all be over soon if I did it faster. I didn't close my eyes because I was enjoying the moment, but because I couldn't look at what I was doing. _Who_ I was doing.

So, scavenging the malls and shopping centers, I met with an old 'friend' of mine, and this is where things lead to. The back stall of a girls' bathroom in a restaurant. How very creative.

She rubbed herself on me as though she wanted this more than I did. Did she though? Did I? Did I really want to be a part of what was going on right now?

My mind momentarily flashed to my house, where blondie was probably sitting on the table with three different cookbooks spread out in front of her, trying to find something that was tasty but easy as well, or laying sprawled around on the couch, a book bigger than all I've ever read together in her hands, the rhythmic flipping of pages and the occasional inhaling of breath being the only things that filled up the room.

The girl—Samantha, was it?—pushed me up harder against the wall, my back hurting when it came in contact with the cold, damp tiles, as she planted kisses down my neck. It felt like she was planting mines. I wasn't even aware that my shirt was off until I saw it hanging on the doorknob, unaware about how and when it got there. She didn't seem to mind though, her mouth sliding down my chest and onto my abs.

Is blondie feeling comfortable? She always forgets that we have extra pillows in the cupboard under the tv. I wonder if she managed to find them. Is it cold in there? I don't think I ever told her how to operate the heating. But it's fine, I guess. She could probably wrap herself in a blanket like she always did.

I let my right hand entangle in the brown hair, my other hand clinging to the door for support. Could anybody hear us? Not that many people come in here very often, as I've seen from experience.

I felt her mouth slowly slide down my stomach, her hands running wildly around my torso. Gripping and touching and pulling and scratching. Leaving marks in their way. She stopped right above the waistband of my jeans, giggling lightly as her hands undid the zipper. The air was heavy with noises and smells. She moved lightly, tugging the material down until it reached the lower part of my hips.

Blondie likes drinking hot chocolate while reading. I should get her some on the way back home.

I hadn't noticed what I'd done until I saw the freaked out expression on her face. She stared back at me as though I'd committed some grave sin.

I raised up my jeans again, buttoning them all the way up, as I watched her get back on her feet. "Did you just push me away?"

I didn't reply, instead unhooking my shirt off the doorknob, and putting it back on. I cringed at the way my muscles hurt where she'd bitten me earlier, making a mental note to scrub away all this fucking _filth_ the second I get home. I pushed and pulled my hair back into a somewhat normal order, trying to smooth out my shirt as much as possible in awful conditions like these. I took the bag she was carrying off the ground and shoved it into her hands.

"Sorry I…" I stared at the way she was looking at me. Disgust? Revolt? Confusion? Disbelief? I felt the corners of my mouth twitch into a small, barely visible smile as I pushed open the door, "I have to get hot chocolate."

* * *

I stood there until my heartbeat returned to normal. Until the cup of hot chocolate in my hands turned lukewarm, and until the smile on my face died down. Inhaling deeply as though I was about to enter some exam, I walked into the living room.

Dressed in nothing but a pink nightgown, she was sitting on the couch in a way I'd never seen anyone sit before. Her head was touching the ground and her feet were slouched on the backrest. Upside down. She was fucking upside down with a book in her hands, staring up at me without thinking that her nightgown might slip lower and I'd get a full view of her panties.

I raised the cup in my hand, watching her smile as widely as she would if I bought her a new car. Maybe even wider. "I knew there was something missing!" She shouted, rolling over so that she was now sitting the way she was supposed to, "I just couldn't get comfortable."

I set it atop the coffee table, disappearing into the master bathroom without saying a thing. I stripped down as though my life depended on it, and rushed into the shower. I couldn't feel calm until I felt the soothing streams of water flood down my face, the warmth making my skin crawl. I scrubbed, I scrubbed with my fingers and my nails without caring if I'd leave a scratch or a mark. I scrubbed even though I felt my back burn with pain, my skin coloring red and my mouth wincing with hurt.

I slammed my hands on the black and red tiles in the shower, forming fists and pounding as though it would help me release my stress. It kind of did. I kept the rhythm going until I was on the floor, water spraying on top of my bruises and loud gasps echoing in the confined space.

What the hell?

I'd done everything I always did when it came to pleasuring a girl, and she did everything every girl ever did. She even went as far as unbuttoning my jeans without me having to ask for it. The embodiment of the perfect fling. The best version of a steamy getaway. And yet I literally pushed her off of me and left the place running.

But that wasn't what hit me the hardest.

When I entered the room, bringing home a beverage for a girl instead of finishing my business and chasing her out of the house, I felt calm. I felt as though that's the way things were supposed to be. Coming home to a girl sitting leisurely on my sofa, smiling nicely at her, watching her as though that was where she belonged. Here was where she belonged. It scared me. That fucking scared me. The thought that I preferred her being here than her being anywhere else fucking freaked me out. I was beyond afraid. I was terrified.

I forced my legs to step out of the shower, turning off the water and giving myself a good hard look in the mirror. What the hell was happening with my life?

A light tap on my bathroom door pulled me out of whatever trance I brought myself into.

"Is mac and cheese okay for dinner?"

"It's okay…" I breathed out, my lip twitching upwards into a smile I knew she couldn't see, "Everything's okay."

* * *

"What?" My voice echoed in the room, as I stared at the person sitting in front of me. The bite of the macaroni and cheese I took almost dropped out of my mouth. "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I called in sick." She said, and I marveled at the way she could lie to their faces, not as though I hadn't but still, "I haven't been there in a month or so and I really should."

"You're visiting your home town?" I repeated, not understanding why I was so shocked at the news, "Until when do you plan on staying there?"

"Three days, I guess. That's enough time for me to see everyone and stay with my parents a bit." She poked around her food with the fork, "So you'll have the house back to yourself just like before, even though it's only for a short while."

Short? She called three days away, short? Was it? It didn't seem that way.

"Yeah, yeah," I choked out, staring down at my food, even though I suddenly lost my appetite, "You're right."

Distracting myself from the weird confession I just got, I decided on planning to invite all sorts of girls while she wasn't here, and toying around with all of them. I needed to get back on track, and just passively living with her wasn't doing it.

But would that work though? After I'd so vigorously scrubbed away the touch of a girl that was going to voluntarily give me a blowjob?

"Is the food okay?" I raised my head to look up at her, "You're not eating."

"It's great." I mumbled, forcing another bite into my mouth, "Why so suddenly though? The visit."

She toyed with her hands, and I guessed I wouldn't like the answer.

"I guess I kind of forgot what I had back there. I mean, I saw you and your mother and I thought about how little attention I actually pay to my own parents. To be fair, I ran away like hell was chasing me after an incident that happened last year, but it wasn't their fault." I remembered Gray mentioning something about this, my ears perking up, "I left that godforsaken place in an attempt to run away from my _past_ , not _them_."

"What happened?" I heard myself ask, risking a look in her direction.

It was diminishing, the way she looked. He eyes held captive thousands of dying souls, demons which could only escape my worst nightmares. The atmosphere chilled a few degrees, and I almost felt I was in a morgue. Coming in to identify the body of her dead wishes.

"I'm not comfortable with talking about it yet." She honestly refused to look into my eyes for the first time since I'd met her, "I always wanted to talk to a friend about it but…"

"Then let me."

We were both surprised at my sudden outburst. Our eyes locked into a captivating embrace, the positive half of her magnet pulling in my negative one. In that moment, I could discover formulas, paint pictures, write essays and sing songs yet I wouldn't be able to explain what made the pace of my heart quicken. What made the flame in her eyes flicker. What made my palms sweat and my mind run like crazy.

"Let me be your friend."

Van Gogh painted "Starry Night" in her eyes, Shakespeare wrote sonnets between her hair, and the sun stole it's shine from her smile, yet I was unable to do a single thing to prove to her that at that moment, I honestly cared.

* * *

 **A/N: Just when things are getting good she decides to leave town? Lucy what the hell**

 **Anyways, have I ever mentioned how much I hate quantum physics? A lot.**

 **Thank you for always sticking with me and writing me reviews that make me proud to have started this story. I honestly thank myself for deciding to post the first chapter after the story staying in my computer for almost a year, untouched.**

 **I think I made the right call.**

 **Thank you for being here!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I AM ALIVEEEE! Here's a long chapter for your troubles!**

 **NOTE: PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER. **

* * *

**13**

 **Friends, Family, Lucy.**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _In that moment, I could discover formulas, paint pictures, write essays and sing songs yet I wouldn't be able to explain what made the pace of my heart quicken. What made the flame in her eyes flicker. What made my palms sweat and my mind run like crazy.  
"Let me be your friend."  
Van Gogh painted "Starry Night" in her eyes, Shakespeare wrote sonnets between her hair, and the sun stole its shine from her smile, yet I was unable to do a single thing to prove to her that at that moment, I honestly cared.  
_

* * *

"—the electromagnetic field—"

My pencil scraped against the notebook, forming circles and swirls, patterns and shapes. I twirled it in my hands, bored out of my mind; the last thing on my mind being the static electricity we were currently studying about. I ignored the formulas on the board, the words coming out of our teacher's mouth, the book laid out in front of me.

"—and if the electrons in the atom—"

I almost dozed off, wondering why I'd decided to go to school in the first place. There was nothing of interest here, anyway. But now that I'd entered the class, I'd have to wait for it to finish before I could bolt out of the doors and disappear in time for third period. I will run like the wind and not look back at this godforsaken place.

"—and blondie—"

I slammed my hands on the desk driven by impulse. The entire classroom turned my way, and I felt a bit stupid. "Uh, could you repeat that?"

"Magnets?" The teacher asked, already annoyed that it was me who was asking the question.

"The full sentence," I said, and others started laughing in their seats. Did they not get that I was actually being serious for once?

"We have repelling _and bonding_ of magnets."

I exhaled loud enough for the whole building to hear me, and the teacher just rolled his eyes and continued with the lecture. Bonding? How the hell did I manage to hear 'blondie'? I mean, I guess they kind of sound the same if you think about it and say it enough times.

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling a bit irritated now that I thought of her. How dare she? How dare she mumble some excuse about not being ready to talk and then just up and leave the city? And yet I even took her to my mother. I mean, I didn't do it in order to get something in return, but still. After yesterday's visit, the hospital called me about thirteen times to tell me about how my mother was being cheerful and talking about bears or something. They said she started making a lot more sense even when she was in one of her 'episodes', and it really felt like a relief, after spending all those days not knowing if she would ever smile again.

I made a mental note to thank my new roommate, even though I probably wouldn't do it.

The bell made its appearance, and I thanked the heavens that the class finished. I ran out of the room, ready to spring into action when I saw Erza standing in the hallways. We had successfully managed to avoid each other without it appearing awkward, and somehow stayed away from the places we knew the other visited. Whenever I saw her at school, I took another route and I knew that she did the same. It was an unspoken agreement. But now that she was _right there_ in front of me, I just couldn't _not_ notice her.

I watched a curtain of annoyance drape across her face for a split second before she turned it into the fakest smile I've ever seen someone make. I walked over, thinking of multiple ways I could shorten the conversation, and make my daring escape. She wouldn't want to talk either, guessing from the fact that we haven't spoken to each other in more than four months, so she wouldn't try to be chatty.

"Hey," I said as normally as I could, trying to hide the disgust on my face.

"Indeed," I could see her look me over from top to bottom, before mustering a look of disappointment, "How rare to actually see you in class for once."

"Yeah well I actually do that sometimes. Shocking, I know." I spat out, biting down my tongue to keep myself from saying anything more. What happened to being civilized?

"So what brings you to school?" She asked, raising a brow.

"I came here to suck up to the teachers." I made a surprised face, covering my mouth, "Oh no wait, that was _your_ job." The hallways sparked with electricity, and I felt like we were instantly transported to a battlefield. Me versus my ex friend. The past versus the present.

"Well well well," We turned towards the intruder in our one-on-one battle, "What do we have here?" I stared down at him, as though it were his fault that I got myself into this predicament.

"I was looking for you, Gray," Erza's scowl turned into a smile in split second, "I heard you got back a few days ago." He grinned from one ear to the other, embracing her into a bear hug.

"I called you but you didn't pick up," he said, putting on a hurt expression.

"I changed my number a while back," she replied, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, "Friday, right?" She asked, and I looked to and fro the both of them, "I saw the messages in the group but I wanted to ask in person."

"Uh," Gray cast an apologetic look my way, "Yeah, that's right. You can tell Jellal he's welcome too. I'm bringing my new girlfriend."

"A girlfriend? No way!" She asked, punching him on the shoulder like the good old days, "That's going to be interesting." And as though they suddenly remembered I was still there, they turned my way. To say that I felt excluded would be an understatement. "Is he coming too?" She asked Gray, and I felt annoyance bubbling up inside me even more than previously.

"I can answer for myself, and yes." I said, not even sure what I was agreeing to.

She didn't say anything, and instead used her remaining time to hug Gray once again, mention how happy she was that he was back, and disappeared into the crowd. My eyes trailed after her for a few seconds until she vanished from my field of vision, and then turned towards what was supposed to be my best friend.

"Group chat?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Uh, it's just me, Erza, Gajeel and Mira. You know, the usual."

"Since when am I not included in 'the usual'?" I asked, a guilty expression washing over him.

"Mira made it yesterday, when she heard I was back. I didn't have the time to check their messages but I saw her on the way to school this morning and she told me we were going out. I didn't even know you weren't in the chat." He explained himself, and I felt kind of bad for pushing him. "But of course you're invited. They just probably thought you weren't going to come or something. Heck, I also thought you would be with the two other guys you hang around with nowadays."

"Sting and Rogue?" I asked, not wanting to be put in the same sentence as those two idiots.

"Yeah, what you said." He mumbled, and the bell signalizing it was time for third period rang. "Bring some girl if you want to." He said, turning around to make his way to the classroom, "You have a lot to choose from."

* * *

Where the hell was that town anyway? I had Gray right next to me and I didn't even think to ask. I mean, I wouldn't just get up in my car and go there. The fact that I was currently in a car proved nothing.

Passing through the various buildings, houses, supermarkets and other stores, I couldn't help but notice how small this city actually was. I could go from one end to the other and meet a hundred people I knew on the way. Yet at that moment, it felt like the city was too big for a person like me.

That morning I woke to no sound. There wasn't anyone vacuuming, slamming pots and pans in the kitchen, running around the house with a mop. The news weren't on, the laptop was shut, and there wasn't a book in my vicinity. It somehow felt… devout of an ingredient. Like there was something that was supposed to be there, yet it wasn't. And after quite a while, I felt like I wanted to wake up with someone else in the house beside me.

A rap on the window of my car told me that I wasn't the only one planning to skip classes. I turned to see who it was, and unlocked the car so he could enter the passenger seat.

"Yo," Sting greeted, sliding down next to me like he owned the place. "You ditching too?" I nodded, starting the engine. Sting didn't ask where we were going, probably because you don't normally care about stuff like that when you're escaping from your school. Everything seems like a better option.

The interior was basked in uncharacteristic silence, none of us speaking a word for the first few minutes. I almost thought there was something wrong with him, but decided not to comment.

"Anyway," he voiced out, chasing away the awkwardness that had started to take form, "I want to throw a party, but my place is no good."

Ah, so that's what he was going for. Me renting him out a place to throw his stupid parties.

"And I'm not forcing you or anything but," I turned to watch him practically plead me with his eyes, "It'll be really, really good." It almost sounded convincing, had I not known that all of Sting's earlier parties ended up in flames.

"And why can't it be at your place?" I asked, even though I already knew the excuses by heart.

"Well, first of all, my parents are there and I will have to think of a way to get them out for the night," he raised his finger, "Second, I'd have to deal with all the neighbors since we live in a building," a second finger went up, "And _third,_ you know what happened to my room after the last party I threw there."

An image of all of Sting's underwear catching flames as one of the drunks lit them with a can of deodorant and a lighter flashed through my brain, making me laugh silently.

"I heard that," he shook his head, "So come oooon man, do me a favor!"

I wanted to agree to it, but blondie wouldn't want that.

…

Blondie wasn't there. And if I wanted a chance to unwind and return to the good old days, this was a front row ticket. The party will be at my place, we will all get drunk so I won't have to deal with girls sober, and I'll be back to what I used to be in no time.

But since when did I start regarding sleeping with girls as a chore? Since when did I need to be drunk for that?

"Fine," the word escaped the crevice between my lips as though I'd been holding it in for too long, and I watched Sting cheer in victory. It couldn't be that bad, right?

* * *

"What?" I repeated for the hundredth time that night, trying to hear what she was saying over the loud music blasting through the speakers that Sting managed to drag over. He said he wanted to throw a party, but who knew he'd do it in the same day!? I was a bit skeptical since it was Monday, but a lot of people came and it was going great. I hadn't had that much fun in a while.

"I said, the music is a bit too loud," My newest victim shouted in my ear, and I grinned in a way only drunk girls at parties could decode. "Wanna go somewhere more quiet?" She asked, or at least that's what I understood from the way her lips moved.

"Sure," I set my hand on the back of her waist, guiding her towards my room, when I felt someone grip my shoulder. I turned to throw a death glare towards Sting, but he kept smiling like an idiot.

"Dude," from the way he slurred his words I could guess that he was already drunk to the point of no return, "I just had this amazing," he paused, waving his finger around in the air, "idea!" I turned towards my playmate and cast her an apologetic smile, lifting up my shoulders as though saying I had to deal with it. Sting leaned in closer to my ear, the smell of vodka polluting the air around me, "You should try your luck with two of them."

A grin stretched out my lips, "I'll try my luck with all of them."

"No," he shook his head vigorously, "I mean like," he looked around to make sure there weren't any people trying to spy on our super secret conversation, "—at the same time."

Maybe it was the alcohol talking, or the cigarettes, or the brownies someone brought over that were filled with God-knows-what, but the idea sparked a light in my mind.

"Like," Sting continued, clearly unable to balance his own weight as he shifted from one foot to the other, "a treesome?"

"You mean a threesome."

"Yeah that's what I said." He clicked his tongue, smiling goofily at the girl waiting for me a few feet away, and left me to my own devices.

I turned towards her, racking my head for a name she might've told me, and when I couldn't find one, I decided 'baby' was the best way to go. She didn't seem to mind when I called her that, and we both walked towards my bedroom.

Sting's words circulated in my head, and I felt a smile creep up on me, thinking of how amazing it would be if I ever managed to be with two girls at once. I turned towards the drunk one, running my hand through her hair as I whispered, "Mind if someone else joins?"

She stared, not blinking. I almost thought she would shower me with her beer, when she cracked a smile, "Why not?"

My eyes widened in surprise, and it took everything in me not to run back to Sting and express my achievement. And what was even better was that she called her friend over so I didn't have to go through the trouble to find someone suitable enough to want to do this as well. Excitement bubbled up in my stomach at the thought of doing something most men could only dream of, and I placed both my arms around their shoulders, leading them towards the final destination.

I was about to shut the door after us, when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. "Sorry girls, I'll be right back", I said, watching them both sit down on the bed in expectance.

In a hurry to finish what I hadn't even started, I answered the call and started making plans in my head about how I'd have to end it in a matter of seconds.

"Natsu?"

I almost thought I'd gone deaf, the sounds of the party dying down at an alarming rate, as though somebody had turned down the volume of the world. I felt my hand grip the device tighter as I ran to the back of the house on the second floor, where I'd told Sting it would be off limits. My mother's old room.

I inhaled the stale air that had probably been trapped between these walls for years. Closing the door behind me and letting my body slide down it, I felt as though I'd entered some sort of sanctuary. Everything was just the way she left it, untouched by me or anyone else for that matter. I made my legs listen to me and got up to pace through the items and memories, and open the window. Even though I was greeted by fresh air, my lungs still had difficulty breathing. I wondered if it was from the fact that I was in such a place, or because I smoked cigarettes a few minutes ago, or just because I was holding a phone connecting me a few towns away to a person I didn't thought I'd get to talk to in a few days.

Suddenly reminded that I hadn't spoken a single word since I answered, I shook the phone with rapid panic, thinking that she might've ended the call. But the faint breathing I could head from the other side of the line told me I was wrong.

"Hey," was all I could muster at the moment, as I allowed myself to sit on the dusty old bed in the corner of the room. I told her I'd moved out of my family home just for the sake of her not looking around and coming across a memorial like this. But what if she'd seen it? What if she's somehow stumbled upon this room when I wasn't in the house? She hadn't mentioned anything to me, so I had next to no clue.

"You need to put the spaghetti in after the water starts boiling." She said, and I separated the phone from my ear. What the fuck? Was I under some sort of influence? What even _was_ inside the brownies I'd eaten?

"Huh?" I mumbled, the low sound of electronic dance music downstairs reaching up to remind me that I was still at a party.

"Gray and I talked for a while now; I called him to tell him that I went to visit his relatives too. He said you were having trouble with cooking spaghetti which I have to admit, sounded kind of weird since you always get take out. He gave me this number and told me to call you and help." Her soft voice was a strong contrast to the ones coming from downstairs, and I had to smile.

Gray you son of a bitch.

"Um, yeah I did," I said, my voice coming out timid, "But I got take out in the end." A short chuckle escaped my lips, "Sting came over with a couple of friends and we're playing around." I offered an explanation for the music in the background, hoping that she bought it.

The sound of her voice and the looks of this room hit me in a way I never thought possible, and I lied down on the dusty pillow, making myself comfortable. At that moment, I could hear her breathing louder than the party going on downstairs. It was like every sound she made drowned out the rest of the world. As though someone cranked up her volume and muted everything else. What scared me most was that I actually preferred it that way.

"That sounds nice," she said, leaving a momentary pause, "I got to meet with everyone here too, and I was out the whole day. It was tiring." I could hear her yawn, which caused a chain reaction on me as well. My eyelids drooped lower, and I made myself more comfortable on the bed.

"I'm tired as well," I said, sliding underneath the covers as the background noise from the party seemed to disappear on me, "When did you say you were coming back?" The question came out so naturally that I didn't even notice I'd asked.

"Oh, well I only have two more days," She replied, and I let my eyes close.

"Two more days," I repeated, like a sacred chant dedicated to the person on the other side of the line.

* * *

Had it not been for the rigid shaking of my left shoulder, I probably would've continued sleeping. Forcing my eyes to pry open, I waited for my blurry vision to join back into focus, and cringed when Sting's fucked up face blocked my view from anything else. He pulled me up, and I breathed in my surroundings. I was in my mother's old bedroom, laying as though I owned the place. A momentary hit of recognition passed through my brain in a flash, and I grasped for my phone. Shifting through the covers, I managed to find it beneath my feet, and opened the call log. Seems as though my last night's final conversation was with blondie. We talked for three minutes and the call ended. What the hell did I say? I remembered only half of it, and I was in no hurry to find out the rest.

Wait a second… was I about to have a threesome? And I left two hot girls to talk to someone I didn't even like? What the hell was wrong with me? Honestly though, I didn't regret it as much as I thought I would.

"What the hell are you doing here, man?" Sting snapped, waving his arms around. I glanced at my watch, seeing that it was already one in the afternoon. My eyes adjusted to the light shining in through the windows, and I noticed that the only thing Sting was wearing was a towel around his waist. My hand automatically fished for a pillow, and I threw it across his face.

"Dude what the fuck!?" I shouted, finally awake enough to start the day. "What's going on? Why the hell are you naked?"

"I took a fucking shower, idiot." He replied, as though it was something I should've anticipated.

I nodded, ignoring the pulsating pain in my head and trying to figure out why he'd woken me up in the first place. And as though this was the moment of fame he was waiting for, Sting started talking as he led me out of the room and into the hallway.

"I know it's not exactly as clean as it was when I came here, but I fixed up a bit, and—"

"You fixed it up a bit?" I echoed, my words bouncing off the walls as I stared down at the post-apocalyptic world I was suddenly thrown in against my will. Broken glass crackled under my feet, liquid substances were dripping down every last piece of furniture too smelly to be identified; pillows, socks and underwear tossed about the floor, scattered from one room to the other, paper cups sticking put from every possible gap and opening, and human bodies of people too drunk to function were what greeted me that morning. But the smell, oh that smell was the only thing I couldn't stand being around. I had to pinch my nose to stop the stench from infiltrating every possible pore in my organism and contaminating my already toxic-filled insides.

I looked towards Sting, as though prompting him to explain just _which part_ of this disaster he deemed appropriate to call "fixed up". I literally needed a magnifying glass to find one patch of the house that _wasn't_ covered in vomit.

Sting raised his shoulders signalizing that it wasn't his problem anymore, and I almost wanted to put my arms around his neck and squeeze until I can feel his nonexistent soul evaporate from his body. He was freshly showered, walking around as if he owned the place, and he even had the nerve to wake me up.

"Anyways," he continued, as if he hadn't just stumbled over a passed out girl lying on top of my carpet, "I have driving lessons in like ten minutes so I wanted you to uh," he waved his hand around in a circular motion, visually grasping the interior of the room, "Take control of this place or whatever."

And with that said, he swirled around on his heel, and pranced towards the bathroom where he would probably change. I kept saying that my headache wasn't anything serious and watched the idiot go. I could almost hear the "Eye of the tiger" song play as he disappeared from my sight.

He was dressed and ready in a matter of minutes and he was long gone before I remembered that he already had his drivers' license.

That motherfucker.

* * *

I was still trying to figure out if last night's conversation with Lucy actually happened, when I entered the bakery a couple of houses down my street. The aroma of freshly baked pastries and coffee hit me the second I stepped through the door and I could almost feel my hangover healing through aromatherapy. If the conversation really _did_ happen though, how the hell did it end? I could only remember bits and pieces and I was starting to freak out about the rest when I saw the waitress approach me.

"Get me anything with some meat it in," She jotted something down on her small notepad, looking at me through eyelashes dipped in three layers of mascara, "And coffee." I rubbed my temples, "Black."

I was so tired I didn't even _try_ to take a look at her ass when she left in the opposite direction. A nervous sigh escaped my lips when I noticed that my cell's battery was dead, and there didn't seem to be a charger in sight. Cursing myself for ever leaving the apartment, I tried thinking about something else as I re-read the menu for the fifth time.

I had been too tired and angry to try and wake up all those passed out teenagers back home, and instead settled for leaving the epicenter and hoping they would all be gone by the time I get back.

I felt my foot nervously tap the marble floor in repeating rhythm, my eyes trying to concentrate on the letters that seemed to all blur together on the brown paper in my hands. I let the menu drop to the table as I scanned to place to see the number of people that would satisfy their daily gossip with the "shady-looking young man in the booth over there", and the "stoned dude sitting by himself", and the "disheveled rebellious teenager that was probably out clubbing until now," or whatever else they called me amongst themselves.

Instead, everyone seemed to be minding their own business. The clock on the wall above the counter told me it was almost two in the afternoon, so I guessed everyone here was on their break from work or daily brunch. Nobody seemed to notice the hungover piece of trash trembling in the booth next to the entrance. My hands barely stabilized in order to lift the cup of coffee to my mouth. I thanked the waitress and lifted the weird pastry she brought me. It was shaped like a croissant but had ham and cheese on the inside. I managed to take a bite without throwing up, which was a fucking achievement by that time.

I scarfed down the food in humungous chunks, eating as though I would be executed in a matter of seconds and this was my last approved meal. I had already ordered seconds and had the cup of coffee brought up to my lips when I noticed a girl staring.

She was a kid actually, hardly above 12 years old. She stood next to the counter and held a plastic bag with some of the bakery's bagels inside. What turned me off wasn't the fact that she was staring at me, but in fact the _way she was doing it._

I almost felt as though I was on tv. My muscles involuntarily tensed, and I could feel every part of my body paralyze in anticipation. Never before had I been stared at quite like that. That must've been the way animals felt behind bars in the zoo.

My hands instinctively flew up to my hair, and I tried smoothing out my spiky locks to make sure they weren't calling attention even though they always do since they're fucking pink. I tried concentrating on the second pastry the waitress brought but I felt my mind shift towards the little girl who still couldn't get her eyes off me. I mean, I knew I was smoking hot but _come on._

I looked back at her, risking my status as a non child molester who doesn't randomly glare at kids, when I noticed something. She was staring at me as though checking some facts. As though she knew something I didn't, and tried confirming it with herself. She looked as though she might know me from somewhere, but didn't know if she should come over and say hi. Yet no matter how hard I raked my brain, I couldn't come up with a single explanation on where I knew her from. She was a complete stranger.

And I started panicking. What if I'd gotten even more drunk than I thought I did yesterday, and I did something stupid? Was that why Sting was in such a hurry to leave my house? Not just because he didn't want to help with the cleaning? Did they take pictures or shoot a video and uploaded it somewhere and now the whole worlds knows what I did except me?

I looked around the place to make sure no one else was judging me from above their newspapers. But they were all acting normal. My eyes darted back to the person from before and sure enough, she was still staring. I started feeling even more uncomfortable than before, and I couldn't bring myself to take another bite. She was outside the "alright to seduce" scale, and I couldn't think of a single way to coax her into telling me what the fuck was going on.

But maybe it had been just one big misunderstanding on my part. Maybe she was just staring at me because she was bored, or she was waiting for her mother or something. But when a few more minutes passed, and she was still standing there when I risked another look at her, I was definitely sure something was up. I just needed to figure out what.

Going over multiple choices of answers in my head, I noticed that I'd become even more perceptive of the world around me in the last few weeks. I'd suddenly started caring about more things than just hot girls, and me not being able to turn my attention away from a kid was just one of them. I was glad to be able to see the world as something more than a free brothel, and thanked whoever it was that made me this way. Before my mind threatened to wander towards the person I knew was in another town, I shook my head to clear it, and try to think of a game plan for the little girl.

Alright, so if she's staring so intently it must mean that I had some sort of meaning to her. Whether it's really _is_ just something I did last night that went viral, or I had something stuck in my teeth; I was set on finding it out. Thinking that this was a perfect way to keep my mind for going places I knew it would go, I raised my head to finally go and confront the culprit.

But the culprit confronted me.

In the time I'd spent wondering how I'd go about it, she had walked over to my booth. I cleared my throat, feeling the dryness of it choke back the words I still hadn't quite formed yet. She cocked her head to the side, and just when I thought she raised her hand to slap me or something, she cupped my hair as though she was going to pull out the damn thing. I tried acting as normal as I could, seeing that I was currently being petted by a stranger. She ran her fingers through my hair, and then stopped to twirl a lock of it around her finger.

And as if she was _just now_ struck by the realization of what she was doing, she let go of it almost immediately, hurting my scalp in the process. This was _not_ helping my headache.

A light shade of pink crossed over her features, and she lowered her gaze in shame. I tried smoothing out my hair as much as I could after it had undergone such a treatment, and forced out a smile to show and convince her that everything was alright. Fraternizing with the enemy?

"Is it…" she half-voiced the words, as though she was having unbearable trouble trying to speak out a few vowels, her voice raspy from the questions she had probably been holding in for the past few minutes, "Is it real?" A glint of curiosity illuminated her brown eyes.

So that's what it was about. My fucking pink hair. I endured the need to roll my eyes as far as they'd go, and settled for giving her another pathetic smile. Fucking kids.

"Yup," I nodded, suddenly not so interested in whatever it was she wanted to say.

"You're not dying it?"

"Nope." My eyes darted back to the food on my plate which was growing colder by the second. I suddenly wished I'd minded my own business.

She kept staring in a way that would make anyone feel uncomfortable. "I also know a person with pink hair." She added, and I tried to keep myself from imagining an all-black-wearing teenager who thinks she's goth, drying her hair hot pink and pretending she's listening to nirvana, saying she's different and doesn't belong. I could almost hear her yelling 'it's not just a phase, mom!' and using tags like #grunge #indie #deadinside on her instgram posts.

Instead, I nodded and forced another fake smile her way. "Oh, do you?"

"Yes!" The girl seemed chatty, "Or at least I think I did." She scratched the back of her head, trying to think of a way to explain whatever it was she was explaining, "I saw pictures. A small boy with pink hair. My mother told me I was born after though."

"After what?" I eyed the croissant on my plate, dreading having ever replied to her.

"After he was adopted."

The headache and stomachache I had been having since that morning finally caught up with me. It was either that or the information I had just received, but I couldn't stop myself from leaning on top of the table and vomiting my guts out.

The panicked shriek of the young girl came as a background noise as I felt my insides pump out every last drop of alcohol and every last bite of the croissant I was yet to digest. My eyes rolled back in my head and I felt a huge pain in the lower part of my stomach. Somebody's hands gripped my shoulders and seated me back upwards. Something that felt like a napkin or some sort of material brushed the tip of my lips and down my chin, taking the horrifying smell along with it.

Once I felt like the world stopped spinning in every possible direction, I dared opening my eyes. The old man who had apparently rushed to my rescue helped me up, and I balanced my shaken-up body on my trembling legs all the way to the men's bathroom. I ignored the looks I got from the guys inside, and leaned on top of one of the sinks. I didn't dare look into the mirror until I splashed water on my face, rubbing down every last bit of sickness I had on it. I turned the water off, and stared at the grim refection my facial features managed to put together.

I looked like I'd just thrown up my fucking soul. I probably did.

By the time I managed to wobble my way back to the counter, she was gone. It wasn't as though I expected her to be here after a fiasco like that. A cynical smile graced my lips as I paid what I was due and left a humongous tip for their trouble.

The cashier kept asking me if there was something wrong with the food, and I shook my head.

"Did you know um," I managed to breathe out, "…the long blue-haired girl that was here just a while ago?"

"The one that was just with you?" he asked, and I satisfied him with a weak nod, "I don't know her name exactly, but I _do_ know that her parents are here every Sunday. They sometimes bring her along. Or she just comes by on her own to get something like she did today." He scratched his chin, "why?"

I shook my head as if there was no reason for my asking, "Can I leave a number or something? I want you to call me when she's here again."

He looked at me skeptically, eyeing me from head to toe. But he seemed to come to the conclusion that I was basically harmless judging by the fact that I almost looked like a dead person.

"Alright," he pulled out a paper napkin, slamming a cheap blue ball-point pen on top of it, "your digits."

* * *

I literally _dragged_ my beat and battered body back to my house, sighing loudly when the door slammed after me. As I thought, the rooms were rid of people, but nobody had thought of taking the garbage out with them. I mean, not that I blamed anyone. I would've acted the same way if I ever woke up in a pigsty. The smell evaporating from every corner just made my stomach feel worse, so I settled myself in one of the bedrooms on the second floor, the place I'd told Sting was strictly off limits.

I called in a cleaning service (Note: I said cleaning _service,_ not cleaning _lady_ because it would take a literal team of trained professionals to bring this place back to normal) and lied down on the bed.

The events from the bakery caught up with me, yet I couldn't bring myself to analyze it in detail because I was afraid of what I'd find.

I got my charger and waited what seemed like forever for my phone to turn back on after I'd drained the life out of it yesterday. And the thoughts I'd been trying to hold back the entire morning bit back into my brain like some sort of disease. I didn't know what had happened yesterday. I could remember the beginning of my conversation with her but not the end. With her.

Her. Blondie.

Lucy.

Thinking that I'd chosen the least risky part now, I decided to send her a message. That way, she wouldn't have the space to yell into my ear because of whatever I had said. My fingers shook as I tried to tap the correct letter, and I wondered if it was because I wasn't feeling so good.

After thinking about it for a long while, I decided to go with,

 _All good?_

It seemed like I cared, but not like I cared too much. Perfect. I thought of writing _Is everything alright?_ But it seemed too much.

I set the phone back on my bed and waited.

You know, I'd heard the line, "it seemed like forever" and I always loathed it. It seemed so stupid and untrue.

But now, I could finally feel on my skin what it felt like to wait forever. It was fucking agonizing. I was a person who was accustomed to being replied to only seconds after I'd sent a message, so this was a sort of a novelty for me. I didn't know that someone could be so impatient. Seconds seemed to stretch out to days, and minutes seemed to stretch out to infinities, as I laid on my back in a room I almost never use.

My mind ran full speed, wondering why she wasn't replying. All sorts of ways she could be busy sprung to thoughts, and I tried blocking out the images that ensued.

I hated myself for sending her a message in the first place. Had I known that I would be lying on my bed eons later, checking my phone every 3 seconds even though I didn't hear any notification sounds, I would never have sent it. And yet there was still that bitter-sweet feeling of anticipation.

Suddenly the phrase "seemed like forever" felt like it was the truest statement ever made.

Hours later, when I'd given up waiting like a loser and gotten up to check on the cleaning crew, I heard the all-too-familiar notification sound buzz in the back of my mind. I thought I'd imagined it at first, but I checked my phone nonetheless. And sure enough, I had a new text message.

 _Yes sir._

Even though I expected myself to be mad, to be furious, to be so fucking angry I'd break the phone in my hand, shatter that motherfucker to pieces; I surprised myself once again by smiling. I fucking smiled. She replies four hours later and I'm freaking happy. I shook my head in disapproval of my own actions, and concentrated on the screen. Yes sir. _Sir._ Two words swam in the pool of my mind, but I refused to say them out loud.

Fucking adorable.

Instead, I decided on not replying for the time being. I mean, I asked what I wanted to, and I'd gotten what I came for, but it still felt as though there was something more to be said.

And even though I told myself I wouldn't think about what happened in the bakery this morning, and I wouldn't _under any circumstance_ mention it to anyone ever, I felt my fingers move on their own, and at this rate, it was already far too late to try and put a stop to them.

 _Shit happened over here tho_

I checked the timespan from her message to mine. Three minutes. I only waited three fucking minutes before responding. Damn I'm desperate. It must've been because of the young lady from this morning, or else I wouldn't have said anything. I would've left her message without another word. Right?

I didn't even have time to count the seconds before my phone started ringing. My eyes tried to adjust to the flickering screen since I hadn't had a meal in like forever. I was starving. But it didn't matter. The caller ID was enough food for the next decade.

 _Dr. Blondie_

Why the hell did I sign her with such an embarrassing name like that? What am I, two years old?

"Hey," I greeted, feeling my palms get sweaty as I walked downstairs, phone in hand.

"What happened?" She asked, but her voice was barely audible compared to the loud music playing in the background. "Wait, I'll go out—" she said, and I heard shuffling of items, people talking, and jazz. She was probably walking away from wherever she was, because the background noise dimmed out and I could hear her more clearly, "Okay, I'm good."

"Having fun?" I mumbled, setting my phone between my head and my shoulder so I could have my hands free and open the fridge. I could still hear the voices of two people talking about detergent in my bathroom. I rummaged through the items in the fridge, hoping to find something I could work with. "Where are you?"

"Oh um," her voice was as bubbly as I remembered it, "At this barbecue."

I wanted to ask more, but decided not to press on the subject. "Why did you call?"

"You said something happened." It came out more of a question than a statement.

"I guess you could say that," I started, suddenly aware of what I was going to say. That was a subject I never spoke about. My parents were off limits to everyone, and yet I even took her to see my mother. A list of pros and cons started forming in my head as I wondered whether telling her about it was a good idea. I hadn't even told Gray yet, and I was going to tell someone I hardly knew anything about. Silence weighed over the line as my mind held a congress meeting to discuss if I should start talking about something I didn't understand myself.

"…Natsu?"

It was the push I needed to let my mouth open wide and my words spew out like a fucking waterfall.

It seemed as though she had a fucking control stick in her hands and could easily control my every move whenever she said my name like that. I felt that familiar sting in my stomach when she said it, but I decided not to give it any sign of importance for the time being.

"I met this girl—"

"Ah, of course you did." Her voice had a hint of irony I didn't like at all.

"Shut up and listen." I could practically _hear_ her eye-roll. "I went out to eat this morning and this girl came up to me and—" black spots clouded my vision and I had to sit down, "—and um—" I ran a hand down my face, thinking that it would sound weird to her. It sounded weird to me too.

"Are you okay?" She asked after the silence stretched out a bit longer than intended.

"I'm perfectly fine thank you." I spat out, not knowing why I was so angry all of a sudden. "She said she knew someone with pink hair too…"

"Lots of people dye their hair these days." Someone said 'hi' to her from the other side of the line and she greeted back. "It's fashion, I guess."

"Yeah but my hair is fucking natural."

"I will never believe that." She giggled, and I felt the corners of my lips twitch upwards. How the hell did I always change moods so quickly when I talked to her?

"Anyway," I continued, "She said that the person with naturally pink hair was adopted as a child."

She went quiet. I drew patterns on the kitchen table with my finger, waiting for her to think and give me her expert opinion. Somewhere along the lines, she became my 'go to' person. It terrified and excited me at the same time.

"Alright, I see." It sounded like she was really concentrating even though it had nothing to do with her, "Maybe you're just connecting the dots in your own way because you subconsciously want to know more about your birth parents. So you try to form a link out of the statement of a girl you know nothing about. It could very well be false news. But parts of the story match your own so you desperately want to tie them together." It felt like a kick to the head. "Or maybe you're on the right track."

I exhaled loudly, unaware that I had been holding my breath during the entire time she was speaking. It felt like this was where I was supposed to be. Talking to her and solving problems and crisis together. It felt like everything was right with the world again, and peace was restored in the galaxy. I tried not to think of just how much it scared me to admit that, but at that point I needed her more than I ever had.

"Yeah you're probably right," I said, suddenly aware of how much her absence was visible. It was so deep and thick I could probably slice it with a knife. Not one presence in the world could make up for it.

"So what are you gonna do, Mr. Bigshot?" She taunted. I hated the fact that it turned me on.

"Nothing."

"Pussy." I was taken aback by her sudden choice of words.

"Well," A smirk grazed over my lips, "You are what you eat."

Hours later, when the shower had calmed me down, and the two bowls of cereal had made me somewhat full, I laid on the bed in my room, trying to figure out what my next move would be. I wanted to think or anything else other than this morning and my last conversation with blondie, but nothing else seemed to come to mind.

My house was spotless yet again, but this time it felt so… formal? Like I was in a makeshift room at an ikea store, and not in the comfort of my own home. I hated bringing strangers into the house. I'd rather have her clean it. Her.

She seemed to latch onto every waking thought.

I closed my eyes in an attempt to block her away.

And I almost did it. I almost fell asleep safe and sound.

But I just had to. I had to get up and leave the premises of my bedroom to walk across the hall and into the room I had locked for good measure. I fumbled with the vase I put the key in and broke it when I couldn't find it fast enough. The shattered pieces sliced open a small cut on my right hand, but I paid no attention to the blood even when it reached down my elbow. The key fit the lock perfectly, and I felt my mind go bonkers when the door opened with a click.

Why was I suddenly doing this? I knew better.

I knew far better. That was why I locked the damn thing. But no.

I just had to go into her room.

I felt like a drug addict being stripped from his daily intake of toxin. Like someone had stolen my drugs and my hands and knees were shaking with _want._ With _need._

The smell of _home_ was strongest in here and I couldn't think of a single reason why. I turned on the light and was surprised to see that she'd left everything the way it was when she moved in. No extra pillows, no posters on the walls, no photos… it was like she was planning to move out. Like this was all temporary.

And it was, wasn't it? We'd never agreed on how long she would stay.

It wasn't like she'd live here forever…

One day I would wake up and she would be gone and I won't be able to tell myself that she's just visiting her relatives and she'll be back in two days.

I ignored the anger bubbling up inside of me and opened the drawers one by one. I begged my hands not to touch her underwear and forced myself to step away. Fucking self-control sucks.

Instead, I paced over towards her bed and leaned to check underneath. Empty. Nada.

I lifted her pillows and the covers on the bed, but they revealed to be secret-less as well. I checked under every piece of furniture, and still came up short. Whatever secret she had she'd taken with her. Smart.

And that's when I noticed something sticking out from under the mattress.

I lifted the thing and came face to face with a picture.

The headache was back. The need to vomit was back. The hatred was back.

Never had life seemed so hard.

* * *

 **A/N: I _know_ that I was gone for almost a month but I have a few reasons: 1. My brother erased the 6000 words I wrote for this chapter and I had absolutely no way to recover them. So I kind of lost the will to redo the whole thing. 2. I was super busy with my cousin who just had twins. **

**Anyway this is IMPORTANT: Do you want me to continue this on the count of the fact that Fairy Tail will be ending soon? Will you keep reading this story after the manga is over? Or should I call it quits here?**

 **Also, this chapter is 9000 words long as an apology for not updating in a while! Thanks to everyone who's still reading this and giving me a chance! I live for people like you.**

 **Sending a ton of hugs your way!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Those 70+ reviews on the last chapter almost made me cry I just love you all so much**

* * *

 **14**

 **A tale of two blondes**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _And that's when I noticed something sticking out from under the mattress. I lifted the thing and came face to face with a picture.  
The headache was back. The need to vomit was back. The hatred was back.  
Never had life seemed so hard._

* * *

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I hid the picture back in record timing, feeling as though I'd just been caught doing something I shouldn't be. I walked out of the room the way a criminal would walk away from his crime scene, and waited until I was far away so I could check my messages.

Only when blood dripped across my screen making it impossible to see did I remember that I had cut my hand. I ignored the pulsating pain spreading across my skin and stared at the message I had received. Gray wanted to know if I was really coming to the get together they so calmly forgot to tell me about yesterday.

Natsu Dragneel was many things: smart, hot, attractive, strong, desirable, cunning; but he was no coward. I replied 'of course' and he confirmed the time and the place.

I sighed, knowing deep down that I really _really_ didn't want to go there at all. I didn't want to see how the group has managed being good even without me there. They'll all have happy smiling faces and keep asking Gray questions and putting him in the center of attention and I'll just have to sit quietly in my chair and drink my beer like an outsider. I already know how much I'll loathe all of them and I was perfectly capable of doing that in the comfort of my own home.

But no. I was no quitter and I didn't plan on becoming one either. I would show up like the fucking masterpiece I am and blow away their pathetic little minds. They'll think I'm too much of a pussy to come and I'll show all of them. I'll fucking make sure they remember me the way I am: a damn winner.

The way I was thinking about it almost made me forget that we were once the best friends in the whole world. It made me forget that those people meant everything to me. That I would text all of them to inform them of any event that had occurred in my life. They knew everything about me. Sometimes before I even knew it myself. I thought that that kind of friendship would last an entire lifetime but apparently I was wrong. I guess it all started the day Gray moved out. Yeah, thinking back to it now, the earliest symptoms of our life together collapsing must've appeared six months ago.

I walked back to my room, the thought's about the picture I saw under blondie's mattress finally overshadowed by the picture I held hidden deep within the bowls of my drawers. I dug through the various things I'd put inside them over the years, and managed to find the picture we'd taken a few days after all of us met. It was magical.

Gray and I had met on the first day of our first year of high school. He was an idiot, I was an idiot, so it was practically meant to be. We clicked right from the start and he was my instant best friend. Couple of weeks later he introduced me to Erza, someone he met at the library. I introduced him to Gajeel, a guy I met trying to find the sweets isle at a supermarket. Gray suggested we all go to some bar and celebrate the beginning of the school year even though we'd been going to school for almost a month, but we accepted. It didn't matter what the cause was, we just wanted to have some fun. We went to this bar called 'Fairy Tail' and almost spent the whole night there. The barmaid turned out to be just a year older than us and she basically morphed into our ball of new friends. Her name was Mirajane.

The picture was taken on that day. I remembered Gray asking a stranger to take a photograph of all of us mashed together. The picture was fucking awful and we all looked way drunker than we actually were. But it had been a precious memory before. Maybe it still was.

So did that mean that blondie's photo was also a precious memory? Was that why she kept it there?

I had to jump on the bed and dig my head into the pillows to try and block that image from infiltrating my mind again. And after hours of trying, I finally succeeded. It was a long and restless night.

* * *

Needless to say I didn't go to school that following day. I was too tired from last night's events and I didn't want to have to run into Erza again. So I called Gray over to chill and was surprised when he actually accepted. I thought it would be a problem for him to ditch classes or something but he apparently didn't care enough to go. He was at my door in half an hour, with two bags of tacos and a huge fucking smile.

We watched some sort of stupid action movie and ate in silence, before he decided that he had something to declare and it couldn't wait until the protagonist stole the diamond from the museum.

I diverted my attention to him, even though I kind of wanted to see what would happen in the movie.

"So Lucy's not back yet?" He was trying to act natural but I knew he was up to something.

"As you can see."

"So, did you uh… cook that spaghetti?" The grin he was trying to hide was visible from miles away.

I stared at him with a look that said 'what the hell man', but I smiled nonetheless. "How the hell did you think of that?" He almost fell off the couch laughing, "I fucking froze the second she started talking about spaghetti, man. I thought I was hallucinating."

"Dude I wish I could've seen you face." He seemed genuinely happy, but at that moment his face turned serious. "What are you two, exactly?"

I raised my eyebrows, even though I understood what the question was about full well, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you dating?"

"God no."

"Why not?" He toyed with the taco wrapper in his hand, staring down at it like it was the most interesting piece of paper in the world. The movie was long forgotten, and my wish to see how it ends suddenly disappeared. I expected this kind of conversation to pop up, but just not now and just not with him.

"I never even wanted any sort of relationship with her." I started, looking at anything but him.

"Then why did you invite her to your house and accept her with open arms?" He asked, not leaving me any space to answer, "I hardly doubt it's because of your very generous persona. And to make matters even more serious, you started drastically changing after you met her."

"Changing?" I echoed, but I knew.

"Um, yes? You're suddenly not interested in other girls and you actually go to school. Does that not tell you something?" It did.

"It tells me that everyone you ever meet in life leaves some sort of impression on you and changes your life path."

"You actually sounded smart for a second there." He said and I had to laugh. "But seriously though, why does she affect your life so much?"

"That doesn't prove anything."

"Doesn't prove what?"

"What you're accusing me of."

"What am I accusing you of?" He stared at me for a while, before he started laughing again, "Od my god you can't even say it! You can't say the thing!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Did I?

"Dude come on! Say it! Say the L-word!"

"I'm not going to say love!"

"Oh my god! This is fucking priceless. I meant 'like'!" His laughing didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon. I just rolled my eyes and diverted my attention back to the movie when he had to go and interrupt me again.

"Alright, alright, I'm kidding." His hands were raised in defense, "I was just joking with you of course. It kind of seemed weird how you started talking to her after all the things I heard you did."

This seemed to catch my attention, "What did you hear?"

"That you slammed the cafeteria door in her face and made her cry in front of the whole school." I cringed at the memory, wondering just who had been feeding Gray this sort of information while he was away. It could very well be anyone for that matter, since everyone was on good terms with him. "But I also heard you saved her from some teacher so I guess that's okay."

I succeeded in keeping a straight face even though I felt like smiling when he said that. Yes, I, Natsu Dragneel, had rescued a damsel in distress. Even though she was anything but a cute and innocent little damsel. A nerd, maybe? A shunned freak?

"I really appreciate you being nice to her, after everything that happened back in Acalypha." He suddenly shut his eyes closed and breathed in as though regretting he had ever mentioned it.

And that reminded me of something I'd forgotten a while back. Lucy had never explained anything about the 'incident' Gray had mentioned to me earlier. I turned to look at him, noticing very well that it was too late to turn back now, and he had already said what he said. He stared at me as though begging me not to ask anything more.

"Acalypha?"

"Our hometown." He seemed relieved that that was the thing I'd chosen to inquire about.

I nodded, itching to ask more, but I knew better than to try and pry some information out of my best friend. If there was something they were trying to hide, I'd have more luck fishing it out of the heroine herself. So instead of throwing a temper tantrum, I decided on the one conversation I knew would take my mind away from her secret.

"I may have met someone connected to my real parents."

Gray looked like he'd been expecting me to say anything, but this. He stared in bewilderment but I couldn't take the pressure from his gaze anymore and turned my head back towards the tv. He might've been glad that the conversation took an entirely different turn, but it was masked by the look of sheer confusion on his face. He opened and closed his mouth at random, not finding it possible to respond in any way.

"Yesterday," I said, when it was clear he wasn't going to say anything, "This girl walked up to me and told me she saw a kid like me in pictures or something. Said the kid was adopted."

He fished for something to say but it didn't seem to come up. Instead, Gray leaned towards the table and got a taco, chewing on it with a look of deep concentration. After a few minutes of complete silence, he turned around. "So what's your next move?"

"I don't know, man. I don't even know who she is. For starters I'm planning on finding her. I already asked the guy who works there to call me when he sees her again." I ran a hand through my hair, "And when I see her again I'll… think of something."

"If you ever need anything or…" he set his hand on my shoulder, "You know my number."

"That's fucking gross dude," I shoved his hand away, laughing."

"I agree man," he accepted the laugh, "I agree."

* * *

Tomorrow. Blondie would return tomorrow.

I kept repeating those words to myself like I was chanting some sort of mantra as I paced around the house that night. I'd had a good patch-up time with Gray and I was grateful he was still my friend after our little friend group went their separate ways. To be honest, I was already nervous about the get together that was happening on Friday, not to mention I'd have to bring someone along with me.

Gray had told me earlier that it was not a formal event, so we should come along in a pair of sweatpants and just hang out at Fairy Tail like we always did. Always. Yeah, that would fit the description if we were still together, but truth be told, I hadn't step foot in that bar ever since Gray went out on his student exchange program. I hadn't seen Mira or Gajeel in months too, and the only reason why I've seen Erza was because we went to the same school.

I still had all of their numbers saved in my phone but what good would they do if I knew I couldn't call. It was like having your ex's number in your contact list. It's there. It's tempting. It's against your ego.

I dragged my feet across the room and picked up my history book. I'd have to learn a lot more than I already know for when blondie gets back and we start our study sessions again.

And there I was. Still talking about it as though she would stay here forever. We were sitting on borrowed time and we both knew that. It was just a matter of days before she got herself a new apartment or changed roommates at the dorms and she would be out of here as suddenly as she had gotten in. I wondered just what impulse had driven me the night I offered her to stay at my place.

I hated when girls stayed over. It was some sort of unspoken agreement for them to leave right after we'd had our fun, and not one of them had ever protested. Except that one girl that thought I was her boyfriend but that was a fucking lunatic.

Did that mean that I was the lunatic in this case?

Maybe I was. I mean, it was the only explanation as to why I'd been the one to tell a girl to sleep over. The best case scenarios are always the ones where the girl leaves in the middle of the night so you can avoid the awkward conversations in the morning. It was fast, easy and efficient. The three words that blondie probably hasn't even heard of.

And yet I was the idiot that invited her. It _was_ probably because I needed a helping hand around, but I was fully capable of calling a cleaning crew, and the morning after the party was proof of that. So what was my motive? What made me want to have her around? To tease her? To have fun with her misery? Maybe?

I seemed to know a lot more about other people than I did about myself.

* * *

I forced my eyelids to tear apart from each other when my phone's ringtone woke me from whatever dream I had been having. I groaned loud enough for the whole street to hear, and reached over the nightstand to pick up my cell.

"Yo Natsu, bro, dude, man, fam," I ran a hand down my face, "whaddup?"

I allowed myself a look around. It was eleven pm and I had fallen asleep on my bed with my history book spread out next to me. Never in a million years would I've thought I would ever find myself in a predicament like this.

"watching porn." I lied. Anything seemed better than the truth.

Sting laughed from the other side of the line, "Niiice." I could hear Rogue's and a couple of other voices in the background along with some quiet music, "But the real deal is always better. Come down to Rixon." He was talking about the bar he's always at. "I'm with these few girls and one of them is desperate to meet you."

"Me?" I echoed with false enthusiasm.

"Yeah man. Guess she heard a couple of stories from here and there and wants to see you."

"Nah man I think I'll—" I stared down at the person I've become; in bed before 11 and studying history lessons before we've even gone over them in school; the life of the nerds I so deeply loathe, "—I'll be right there actually."

"Fuck yeah, that's the spirit."

That's the spirit, huh?

* * *

I was there in a flash, suit and all. I parked right in front of the bar so they could see my fucking awesome car if they looked through the windows, and my attire was straight out of a Lacoste store. I remembered to put my black Rolex on, and smelt strictly of Chanel.

It was like it'd entered the babe magnet cheat code in a Grand Theft Auto game.

Every girl in the vicinity turned her head to look at me and I didn't fail to notice it. I could hear Sting's annoyingly loud voice even before I saw him, but the wide-eyed look he gave me told me that I had made the right call in going all out. The girls that were with him started fanning themselves with their hands or napkins, and it took everything I had not to smirk. Rogue was there too, but as always, he looked as though he'd rather be somewhere else, and it scared me that I actually almost related to him.

I coughed to clear my voice before tossing a quick, "hey" towards them. Sting asked questions with his eyes but I stayed smiling. He wanted to serve me as a main course? Fine. But I get to pick the way I get prepared.

"Natsu," I said, shaking hands with everyone there, not forgetting to kiss the back of every girl's hand; a gesture that made all of them squeal. They were surprised to say the least.

One hour, three rounds of drinks and five confused looks from Sting later, it was about time we headed our separate ways. I excused myself to go to the bathroom, and I wasn't the least bit surprised to find that Sting had followed me there.

"Dude I know I told you to come, but I didn't tell you to fucking steal the show away for yourself." He suddenly seemed conscious of his basic black t-shit and worn out converse. "We never agreed this was a black tie event."

"We never agreed it was a casual night either."

He rubbed his temples, not liking the fact that I was right and he had nothing on me. After a few seconds of awkward silence, he looked at me with newfound determination. "Alright, I get it. You get to choose." He raised an eyebrow at me, folding his arms over his chest, "Which one do you want to take home with you?"

My smirk stretched out, "The blonde one."

The look of desperation and utter betrayal on is face told me I'd picked right. I noticed that he was interested in her the most, so my instincts told me to snatch her away.

"Dude. Come _the fuck_ on. I've been talking her up all night! You were with the black-haired one the most! Don't you want her instead?" Those were the words of a desperate man. I barely contained my laughter.

"Don't I get to pick after what you did to my place?" He took a step back, plastering a stupid boy scout smile on his childish face and rubbing the back of his head, "Oh I forgot to ask," I snapped my fingers, "How did your driving lessons go?"

He clenched his fist and opened the door to the bathroom, "Fine." The word was spit out through gritted teeth, but it was still music to my ears.

* * *

"This is your house?" Her loud gasps filled the hall as I locked the front door behind us. I didn't even get a chance to reply, since she entered the living room like she owned the place.

I trailed after her, tossing my keys on the table before I started taking off my leather jacket. I was still halfway down the zipper when she pulled out a chair from the dining room table. She sat down backwards, stretching her long legs around the platform where her back should've been. My breath caught when I got a good look at her panties.

"I like your house," she said, a seductive glint in her eyes telling me she was already up for business. Her fast-forward pace was a bit refreshing compared to the slow-tease blondie I usually have walking around here. I chased away whatever sort of thoughts I might invite inside my head about her, and focused on the girl currently licking her lips.

My jacket fell to the floor, and I walked up to her. That was it. The final moment.

She didn't even wait for me to make any sort of move. We skipped the talking, we skipped the drinks, the food, the laughs, the foreplay; and before I even knew it her tongue was in my mouth and I was shoving her towards my bedroom. The kissing was loud and sloppy, the sound of my lips hitting hers completely drowning out the noise in my head. She pushed me away for a second and jumped onto my bed, marveling at its comfort as I slammed the door shut.

It scared me that I actually didn't like doing this.

Her hand reached up and she pulled me by my Roberto Cavalli tie and I fell on top of her. Her tongue was everywhere, and I was certain I could _feel_ it explore the interior of my mouth. Before I knew it she was pulling off my suit jacket. It looked like she was in quite the hurry because she didn't even _try_ to undo my tie correctly so I had to help her. She yanked off the buttons on my white dress shirt, pulling it down and getting rid of it by tossing it on the floor along with the rest of my attire. All that was left was the white t-shirt I had underneath. It went up in a matter of seconds, which was the only time she broke the kiss so she could pull it over my head.

It turned out that I didn't have to help her at all, since she unzipped her dress before I could even move my hands. I stared at her in bewilderment as she threw away her bra, and jumped back at me, rolling us over so she was on top. Her mouth ran kisses down my torso, as I stared up at the ceiling.

I looked down at her blond hair, her face hidden from my view as she licked the lower part of my stomach.

What would it take to make blondie do this? To make Lucy want to do half of this—or even just kiss me—seemed totally impossible. I felt like no matter how close we were with the fact that we were living together, that would not help in the development of something more. Not to mention the fact that she wasn't going to be staying here for long.

My thoughts went back to the picture I found, and yet I still wasn't ready to face what I'd seen.

"You like this, don't you?" Girl What's-her-face asked, taking my hyperventilating the wrong way.

She fumbled with the zipper on my pants, sliding them down my legs in an instant.

Oh, when had she taken off her panties?

Where is blondie right now? What does that picture mean? And why did I keep thinking of her even while I was in my bed with a girl who was clearly into me? Blondie didn't mean anything to me, though?

Oh, why is my underwear on the floor?

Is the alcohol finally getting to me because I feel a little whoosie? I feel like laughing and I think I'm laughing but I can't hear right because the thoughts in my head are too fucking loud. What does that picture mean? What does she mean? What is her role in my life? What is my role in her life? What is her life in my role and my does in her what and that picture and this girl and my clothes are on the floor I need to get up and get my clothes or they'll get dirty and Lucy will be mad and—Lucy. _Lucy._ I should get her some hot chocolate.

Oh, is that her tongue on my—

I sprang up like my body had been electrocuted and she jumped up in surprise. Muttering out some pathetic excuse about having to go to the bathroom, I disappeared behind the door and didn't go back for a while. I have no memory of which room I'd been in or what I'd been doing. I only remember crawling back into my bedroom and finding Whoever-that-hoe-is sprawled on top of my bed and sleeping like she was passed out. Maybe she was. Maybe _I_ was, and I was dreaming and none of this was real.

I stood there for a moment longer before my body finally collapsed.

* * *

Another day – another hangover.

I squeezed my eyes even tighter as if that would stop the sun from shining on my face. When that obviously stupid plan didn't work, I sat up on my bed ready to face the consequences of my actions.

The blonde-haired bitch from yesterday was sleeping like no tomorrow, looking like she was having the best dream of her life. I sighed, thinking of ways I could kick her out of my house before the evening, when blondie will return. I somehow managed to stay upright and wobbled my way into the bathroom. I was almost scared shitless of the reflection that stared back at me when I looked at myself in the mirror. My bloodshot eyes were a horrendous contrast to the paleness of my face. I had bags under my eyes and I definitely needed to shave. Not to mention that I was completely naked.

"Are you so proud of your birthday suit that you show it off every morning?" The voice of the unnamed girl almost made me squeal like a little girl. I yanked the towel hanging on the wall and covered my lower body with it. Securing it as much as I could around my waist, I turned over to look at her.

She was wearing her panties. Only her panties.

My head seemed to hurt even more so I looked away from her.

"Last night was amazing."

In the end, we didn't even do it, but she clearly didn't remember anything. I had a few holes in my memory myself, but I was aware that we didn't go all the way. So she said it was amazing because she thought it was. She wanted it to be. I didn't correct her.

"So what are we going to do about breakfast?"

Occasionally, you get girls like this. It's bound to happen. They stay the night and they immediately think that gives them the right to stay the morning too. Those kinds of girls are rare; most of them know when it's time for them to leave so they sneak out while you're sleeping or leave first thing in the morning. And then there are the clingy and don't-know-when-to-drop-it types like this which are a fucking pain in the ass.

I rubbed my temples to try and numb the pain in my head but I didn't feel the least bit better.

She skipped over to my kitchen, and I followed suit. My mind was conjuring up ways of telling her to get the fuck away, and I hoped I'd had an invisibility cloak in my closet somewhere.

"So, do you want to get take out, or—" she took my hand, putting one of my fingers in her mouth, he tongue sliding across its surface making it dripping wet with saliva, "—do you want to eat me?"

We turned to the loud thumping that came from my right, and I felt the need to lie down and die when I saw blondie. She had the pale face of a criminal caught in the act, and she stared as though she'd seen a ghost. She had a backpack on her left shoulder and her duffel bag in her right hand. She'd apparently dropped her phone. She bend down at an alarming speed and picked it up, while casting an apologetic smile our way. "I'm sorry I—" she looked around for an escape route, "—I dropped my phone and I didn't mean to—" her hands waved around in the air, "—disturb or anything…"

Why did I give her a spare key? Wasn't she coming in the evening?

She turned around and headed for her room.

I wanted to drop dead.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, so something happened to me today.**

 **I was out with my group of friends and I decided to see if I'd gotten reviews on the last chapter. My eyes almost got watery when I noticed that there were more than 70 of you telling me to keep going.**

 **I couldn't wait till I got home to start writing a new chapter for you guys! I actually went home early and started writing right away. After a few hours, I am tired and hungry and it's 4 AM and I think I'm going to faint.**

 **But thank you for the continued support. This is why I'm here. This is why I write.**

 **I honestly love all of you.**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I want to be fit and have a nice summer body but I also want half of that cake do u feel me**

* * *

 **15**

 **Ho ho hoe**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _Why did I give her a spare key? Wasn't she coming in the evening?  
She turned around and headed for her room.  
I wanted to drop dead.  
_

* * *

"Who was that?"

I hadn't noticed that my hand was clutching the kitchen counter until I felt pain in the tips of my fingers. Releasing my hold from it, I turned towards the girl I brought home yesterday. I felt tired. It was the only way I could think of explaining that emotion. I was tired from all the mistakes I seemed to continue making, and tired from all the shit in my life. Blondie, who I'm not ashamed to admit was the only good thing that probably came out of the whole school year, was now going to move out even faster and I was powerless to stop it.

I let my sexual desires get the better of me, even though I seemed to _have_ no sexual desires. I just kept on pushing forward and doing what I knew best. Flirting. Kissing. Fucking.

I felt no such thing as lust anymore. I saw girls and I did things with them because I knew that that's what Natsu Dragneel would do. To be honest, I was disgusted whenever I touched another girl's body and it fucking frightened me. I had never been like that before. It scared me.

Life scared me.

And I had managed to get myself into yet another heap of trouble again. But alas I hadn't predicted that she would ever come home early. I felt like a cheating husband caught in bed with his secretary, while his wife was busy with her full time job and raising the kids.

I had almost forgotten what the girl asked, had she not repeated it again.

"Who was that?" The question echoed, "Your next appointment?"

I turned to look at the sourness of her face, "You really are the way everyone else speaks about you." She ran back to the bedroom to put on her clothes and take her shit, "Pathetic. You're a pathetic piece of trash who fucks around with any girl who lets him, and gets away with it." I watched her walk to the door, "You piece of shit. I can't believe I fucking slept with you! Look at me!" She gestured towards her body, "I'm a fucking catch! You should be honored to be able to get in my pants! And you called another one of your hoes?"

"She's not my next appointment." I mumbled, my voice barely audible, "She'll never be my next appointment." The truth that was held captive in that sentence was strong enough to hit me on the head. That's right. I can never sleep with that person.

"Go lie to your other whores, not me!" The girl shouted and opened the door, "You disgust me."

The loud thud after she slammed it drowned out all sound. I stood at the center of the room paralyzed with fear. What had I done?

I had been desperate enough to prove to myself that there wasn't anything wrong with me, that I actually ruined my chances with anyone ever again. I felt like I had survived some deep emotional trauma and maybe I did. But the truth was that the anonymous girl's words didn't hurt me at all. I didn't give two shits about what she thought. I was scared of what the other person thought of me after seeing what she saw.

I automatically headed for blondie's room.

I didn't knock, I didn't ask for permission to enter or any other sort of thing. I just walked in like it was the most natural thing in the world and maybe it was.

I felt a lump in my throat when I saw her. She was there. Her bags were still unpacked and the room still looked like nobody was planning to say for long but she was there. She was wearing shorts and an oversized white t-shirt. I failed to come up with any sort of lewd comment concerning her legs, and instead just walked up to the bed. She was propped up in a half-siting position, reading some sort of book. Her legs were spread over the sheets and her upper body was supported by a bunch of pillows. I swallowed.

I searched and searched and searched for the right words but they couldn't seem to come to me. I stood next to her bed for what seemed like hours and couldn't come up with the right thing to say. I wanted to apologize but I didn't know what for. I had the right to do whatever I wanted. But I still felt like I should apologize for something. I also wanted to thank her for coming here but I didn't feel like it was something that she would like hearing. I also wanted to ask what she was doing while she was away, who she was with, how she spent her time, and how everything was. Did she have fun? Did she talk to her parents?

Instead I looked like a fish dumped out of the sea. Out of water. Opening and closing my mouth with the only sound being the one my hand made as I gripped the towel on my hips firmer. I felt stupid. I was exposed both physically and mentally. I closed my eyes and hoped I didn't have any bite marks on my torso like I did the last time I checked myself in the mirror.

When I opened them I was greeted by her own. She stared at me with a look of inquiry. Was I alright? Was everything okay? Did I need something from her? I could almost hear her voice.

I couldn't bare the weight of her gaze so I looked away.

And even though I said nothing and she said nothing, we somehow managed to communicate. I felt a bit better.

My soul ached for some sort of closure as I climbed up on the bed next to her, and lied my head down on her lap. A risky move. And right after she saw me with another person.

But I couldn't help it because the last two days had stretched out into two years. I felt like I hadn't seen her in forever and just looking at her now wasn't going to do it. I need to feel it. To _feel_ that she was here. That she was present. That I wasn't just dreaming.

I felt like her body had some sort of healing powers since my headache seemed to subside. I felt instantly better. I closed my eyes and inhaled loudly as if this was the first time I'd gotten to breathe. As if this was the first time I found out what living was.

She had to set her book to the side because she couldn't hold it properly now that I occupied her legs. But she didn't say a word or push me away. I was silently grateful. I was grateful that she noticed just how much I needed this. Just how much I needed to feel her. How much I needed to know that I was safe. How much I needed to know that the world wasn't falling apart and I wasn't falling apart.

When I felt her hand in my hair at first I thought I was dreaming. I thought I'd fallen asleep and this was dreamworld or died and this was heaven. But no. She ran her hand through my hair as slowly as ever, and I felt her wash away every other touch my head had ever received. Like nobody had ever touched me. Like nobody had ever pulled me down for a kiss. Like this was the only time it mattered.

I forgot it was pink, I forgot it was weird. I forgot all the times I had been bullied for it, or all the times a girl has laughed when I told her I wasn't dyeing it.

I almost felt like I was going to cry.

Her soft fingers felt like air. Her slow breathing sounded like perfection. Her heartbeat was in step with my own.

I forgot I was almost naked and I forgot her legs were bare and I forgot about anything sexual that might've come to my mind at some different time, and just enjoyed the silence that seemed too precious to interrupt. This was the moment I hadn't realized I'd been waiting for.

* * *

I blinked away the confusion in my head and moved lightly to get up.

It was almost dark, and the room was drowned in complete and utter silence. I was alone. I was covered with blankets and lying on the bed blondie was supposed to be sleeping in. I let my eyes adjust to the darkness around me and sat upright. One look around the room told me she had unpacked her things and put them back inside the closet. I felt a bit reassured and I couldn't explain why.

My hand moved towards the bedside table and I took her phone. It had a pattern I needed to know in order to unlock it but I only wanted to see what time it was. 9:31 PM. I had slept through the day and I felt a lot better than that morning.

I exited the room and hesitated on going downstairs when I heard voices. At first I thought it was the tv but I recognized blondie right away. Her phone was back in her room though, so it meant that there was someone at the door. I dashed through to my room and put on some random pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I was contemplating on staying inside and letting her handle this, but I was just too curious.

I stepped out into view and almost squealed like a girl that just saw a spider.

Sting Eucliffe.

As if I hadn't had enough drama for one day.

He was talking to blondie like there was no tomorrow and I felt my insides almost explode. I was thinking of numerous things I could say to get in on the conversation and explain myself when I noticed something. She was still wearing the clothes from this morning. An oversized shirt with an oversized cleavage, and shorts. Fucking shorts. I stared at her bare legs which were right in front of Sting who had a hard time trying not to look at her boobs.

"Ah, I see," he said, and I felt anger bubble up at the sight of the two people I never wanted to meet each other. "So you're saying Natsu is still asleep?"

Even though I had been in plain sight for a while now he hadn't seen me, not that I blamed him. I wouldn't look at some other guy if that perfect body was in front of me either.

I walked up to them and they both noticed me for the first time. Sting's eyes beamed with confusion and demanded an explanation, while blondie just looked surprised to see me dressed.

A list of possible replies came to my head:

 **a)** Oh, Sting, what brings you here?

 **b)** Stop staring at her body because you're not going to get it.

 **c)** Hey Sting, what's up? Except for your dick.

 **d)** Blondie come back inside and lock yourself in the bathroom.

 **e)** What a nice weather we're having, am I right?

 **f)** Ah, what a fine day for burying a corpse. Yours, perhaps?

 **d)** Life is hard. Just like Sting's penis.

Instead, I encircled my arm around her waist and pulled her back towards me, my body heating up at the contact. She didn't even flinch.

"Hey babe, what's going on?" I asked, my voice still hoarse from the sleep.

Weirdly enough, she didn't slap me like I thought she would. "S-someone's here to see you."

I saw this as the perfect opportunity to set my free hand on her hip, my heart going a bit wild as skin touched skin, "Yeah, Sting? Need something?"

He seemed more confused than ever, poor guy. He kept looking back and forth between blondie and me, and it took everything I had not to laugh in his face at how stupid he looked. He seemed a bit disheveled by the sight of my hand gripping her thigh. I tried not to think of moving my hand elsewhere.

"Nah I just," he scratched the back of his head, "Came to hang out. But if you're busy I could come back later."

"Well," I rested my chin on the side of her neck, "as you can see—"

"We're not busy at all!" Blondie pulled the front door open even wider, "come on in!"

Yeah, I guess I might've pushed my luck a bit too much.

Sting waltzed in like it was the first time he was ever here, and I waited in the hall for blondie to close the door. She turned around and glared at me once she realized we were alone. "What the hell was that? Do you even—"

"I need this!" I whisper/shouted. And then it occurred to me. What right did I have to act like this? Since the minute she got back home I had been horrible towards her. First she sees me with some hoe, then I walk into her room and fall asleep without a word of explanation… and now this? And why did I feel the need to fake my relationship with her in front of Sting? Come to think of it… didn't he hate her guts?

He was one of the people who talked trash about her the most, and now he had no problem with ogling her in front of my own house. Had he no shame? Had I no shame, as well? We were both complete idiots with her and yet here we were, dazed by the body she hides. Did she not want others to see what she looked like because of this?

"Alright." Her answer almost made me choke. "I'll go get changed and put something more…" she fished for words, looking towards the living room where Sting disappeared to, "— _comfortable._ And we can act the way you want to." I had no time to reply since she passed right by me in the hallway and made for her room, "But when he's gone," She turned around to face me, "We definitely need to talk."

I swallowed down the fear, and managed to nod.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?

* * *

"Dude," Sting couldn't stifle his surprise the second I entered the room, "Explain yourself."

I closed the door in an attempt to block away our voices so blondie couldn't hear us, even though her room was already far away. "What do you mean?" The innocent act failed almost immediately.

"What do I mean? _What do I mean?"_ His voice kept growing louder and I had to raise my hands to motion him to tone it down a bit. "Dude, when she first opened the door I thought she was just one of your flings or that girl from yesterday but _damn,"_ he smacked his hand on his forehead, "Was that the weirdo from school? I mean, I chatted with her for a few minutes at the door and I thought she looked familiar, but never in my entire life would I have guessed that—"

"Okay, yeah, I get it." I said, still a bit paranoid that blondie might pop out of some corner like she did this morning.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hitting that?"

I wanted to correct him, but I didn't know what to say. If I said that I hadn't come close to even kissing her, not to mention sleeping with her, he would laugh at my face. I would turn out to be the biggest pussy in the world and my already crumbling reputation would finally hit rock bottom with him. So telling the truth was out of the question. But once he sees her with different clothes now, he'll know that something is up and that she's staying over, so I can't stray too far from the truth either.

"I mean," he continued rambling, "I guess I would be hiding banging a chick as well if she was crazy."

"Crazy?" I repeated, noticing that my fists had clenched without my will, "What do you mean, _crazy?"_

He scratched his head and tried thinking of something to say, "Well, she's a bit… odd, as you've probably already noticed. Not my cup of tea. Not your cup of tea either. But I can understand why once I saw her fucking hot-ass body. Dude, I'm telling you, if I ever grabbed those boobs I would never let go, and—"

He stopped talking once we heard her footsteps in the hallway. It was a good thing she came because I felt like I was going to bash his head in and I didn't know why. I had heard him talk that way about tons of girls before, I've even talked like that myself. But not about blondie. Never about her.

She opened the door and found both of us staring at her, which was kind of awkward. I almost sighed in relief noticing that she had put on a long pair of sweatpants. But she kept the shirt. I was a bit irritated by the fact that you could still see her cleavage, so I turned the AC on and pretended I was feeling too hot.

We sat at the table and blondie ventured to the kitchen to bring us something when Sting volunteered to order some pizzas as his treat for coming in unannounced. That was unusually rare and kind of him, but I let it slide.

Once the pizza was here, we dug in, and I think I've never eaten so much in my entire life. I hadn't had a single bite of food the entire day, and it was already 10-something PM. Blondie had started shivering (my plan was working) and I offered her a hoodie I found in my closet. She put it on, and I could finally breathe easy again. Sting had nothing to stare at now.

Funny how I'd waited to see her body for weeks now, and the second I got a chance I did my best to cover it up.

Why?

"So, ahem," Sting cleared his throat, "Lucy, was it?"

"It still is." She deadpanned and I smiled. We were still eating and I was hoping that Sting would have the decency to leave once the meal was over.

"haha," he forced out, clearly annoyed by the remark, "So why are you here?"

She turned towards me, probably expecting me to telepathically tell her what to say. After she concluded I wasn't psychic and wasn't going to scream out a reply in her head, she turned back towards Sting.

"Well, I'm staying over for the night."

The reply held both 'too much' and 'not enough' information at the same time.

"Why?" He asked, and I almost choked on my food. What the hell was his problem? Why was he interested in what I had with this girl?

"I was absent from school three days now, and I'm here to get back on track with my studies." She tried, and we both knew how fake it sounded. It was like her operating system didn't include a 'lying' algorithm.

"And why with Natsu, of all people?"

"He's a straight A student?" She challenged, and she was actually right. Thanks to my uncle, I was able to keep perfect grades even though I often skipped school. Like today, for instance.

"Yes but, you're a lot smarter. And I don't think you need to sleep over in order for Natsu to tutor you." He smiled, and I watched blondie run out of comebacks. She fumbled with the ketchup bottle, trying to buy some time. There was literally nothing to say in order to make us sound less guilty.

I decided to butt in.

"Well," Sting looked my way, "Geometry isn't the only thing I'll be tutoring her in."

She almost dropped the ketchup bottle, but said nothing. I thanked the heavens that she didn't counter me or do anything that would ruin my reputation in any way. It was my fault to begin with. If I hadn't put my hand around her waist and called her 'babe', we could've probably played it off as some sort of excuse that she's here for a visit, or something like that. Heck, I could've even said she was my relative. But I had to go and do something as stupid as that. I hadn't thought things through. But something told me that even if I had, I still would've acted that way. It was as though I was trying to show dominance. But she wasn't even mine to begin with. And I didn't even want her to be, of course. Right?

"Ah, I see," I had almost forgotten Sting was there. We finished our food and talked for a while more. I tried to keep his attention on me, and relaxed when blondie went to take the dishes to the kitchen and wash them. At least he wouldn't be able to attack her with questions and make it more awkward than it already was.

"But that's a pretty good thing you've got going for you," He didn't back down for a bit, "You got a hot bitch in your house and she even cleans." He nodded in some sort of twisted approval I didn't even ask for.

I was still wondering why blondie was going through with this when she actually had nothing to gain out of it. I didn't say a word to Sting about the fact that I didn't even sleep with the girl I brought home yesterday, nor did I tell him that I hadn't been sleeping around for a while now. I thought that it would seem like some sort of marvelous defeat, so I decided it was best to keep quiet about it.

"Toss the ball over when you're done making the hit."

I looked at him with such disgust and anger that I almost scared him. Was he being serious? He wants me to just let him use blondie after I'm done with her? Was that some sort of sick perverted wish of his? What the hell was he planning? I knew he was into some nasty shit but that fucking scared the living shit out of me. So was that why he was being nice and bought pizzas? To score some points with her? And what if she fucking fell for it?

I wasn't even _doing_ anything with her per se; we were just living together. There was no way in hell that I would ever hand her over to him.

But it had been a normal thing between us. Whenever one of us had a one night stand with a girl, we've decided that he shouldn't get angry if the other person sleeps with her as well. I had slept with tons of girls that Sting had recommended, and he had done the same. We were like a bitch review website. He rates and recommends girls to me and vice versa. But this was not some random girl and this was not some one night stand. And yet if I told him that, it would mean that the secret is over and my reputation is ruined and I could go fuck myself.

I decided that I wouldn't reply with anything, so I just toyed with the remote control in my hands, thinking if I should put on some sort of movie and drown out his annoying voice and his irritating questions.

"Dude," I looked back at him, "does she swallow?"

I didn't even know what I'd done until I saw him rubbing the side of his head. He had blood dripping down his cheek and onto his neck, and he was screaming bloody murder. I stared down at my hands and wondered where that remote had gone to. He choked out some sort of insult and demanded an explanation but I didn't really understand what happened. I was still sitting on the couch as normal as ever, and he was the one with the fountain of blood.

"What the _fucking hell_ man?" He shouted as though I wouldn't hear him if he spoke normally, "Why the hell did you throw that piece of shit at me!?"

"My hand slipped," I muttered after realizing what I'd done.

"Don't give me that crap!" he yelled, "What the hell is your problem?!"

"She might hear you so I thought I'd make you shut up." I lied.

"So what if she fucking hears me?" The gash had made him look like he just came out of some sort of horror movie. It wasn't as much as the depth of the small scar as it was for the blood that had come out of it. And he wasn't helping himself since he rubbed it all over his face with his hand to prove a point. "I don't care what she thinks! I can say whatever I fucking want." He got up, and blondie rushed in.

"D-did something happen?"

"Took you long enough." He mumbled, "Give me something to wipe this shit off."

Blondie seemed horrified, but she handled it like a true nurse. She took him to the bathroom and cleaned the small bruise, then disinfected it with something or another, and placed a bandage over his head. Sting seemed kind of surprised of her expertise, but he didn't say a thing.

He left after that incident, and I didn't blame him.

Blondie walked inside the living room with the medical kit in her hand. I cast her a surprised look but she just smiled. "I noticed you hurt your hand."

I had completely forgotten about the time I snooped around her room and broke that vase. I looked down at the hand I'd done nothing about, and was surprised to see that it looked scary. The bruise was now purple and the cut had bled out to the point where the blood clots dried and formed a scab.

"The dried blood protects the tissue underneath. It will heal faster that way and germs won't be a threat to it." She explained softly as she looked at it, holding my hand between her own, and I felt blessed to have cut myself, "You should've topped it off with some sort of antibiotics though. You're lucky it didn't get infected."

As she examined what I'd managed to do to myself while playing Sherlock Holmes, I felt my body heat up. It was weird how she still had that sort of power over me, when I'd thought that girls didn't make me excited anymore. I could feel each of her fingers separately on my skin. The places where she touched burned. I begged my mind to think of something else, but I couldn't. I could only concentrate on her.

I felt her sit even closer to me to the point where our thighs were touching. She slid her finger down the cut, making my insides flare up. I couldn't take being seated next to her like this and not being able to do anything about it. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to feel her. I wished she had a bruise too so I could play it off as 'first aid', and run my hands all over her body. I couldn't even think of a joke to say. I couldn't even tease her because it felt like I was the one being teased.

We both stared down at our hands, and it felt like it didn't matter what time it was or which day it was or where we were or what was happening with the world outside our doors. I looked up, and she did the same. My mouth was just an inch away from hers, and it fucking pained me.

I could almost feel our noses touch, and I was unable to produce an audible sound and say something to commemorate the occasion. The only thing I could do was lean closer. I squeezed her hand with my own, not caring a bit about the cut I'd already forgotten.

The temperature in the room skyrocketed, or at least that's what it seemed like to me.

I hadn't seen her in what felt like ages and now she was finally here. She was finally back and she was close and I was touching her. My hand was stroking her own and she still hadn't pushed me away. The softness of her skin consoled any concern I might've had in the last couple of days. The fact that I could feel her made me exhale softly and thank the heavens I wasn't in this big house alone.

I didn't ever feel like I cared about her, but then again, I didn't ever feel like I cared about anyone. And I knew that I didn't feel anything for her, and that in a few days I'd be back on track with my other girls and my other one night stands. The only thing I knew for sure was that I needed her. I needed Lucy.

I needed to touch and own her in a way I never had before.

My forehead touched hers. My thumb stoked the side of her hand. I inhaled the perfection of the moment before I knew it would be ruined forever.

"We need to talk."

* * *

 **A/N: This is a review-appreciation note!**

 **I just want to say how cute it is too see small encouragement sentences from you guys! How inspiring it is to see someone reply with a really long and detailed review. It's such a pleasure to read it since I love it when a reader feels the need to express him/herself by writing a longer text. But what startled me most was my last review where someone literally just posted ":D". I think that's beautiful. You reviewed just for the sake of my story having more reviews and it touched me.**

 **Thanks to everyone who keeps commenting on my story and telling me what you think. This chapter is dedicated to you!**

 **I haven't missed reading a single one of your replies.**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I can't be the only one who worships Orihara Izaya, can I?**

* * *

 **16**

 **Walking/talking**

* * *

Previously, on "How to seduce a lady": _The only thing I knew for sure was that I needed her. I needed Lucy. I needed to touch and own her in a way I never had before. My forehead touched hers. My thumb stroked the side of her hand. I inhaled the perfection of the moment before I knew it would be ruined forever.  
"We need to talk."_

* * *

She moved her head a bit backwards, disconnecting her hand from my own, and I felt disappointment growing in my heart. I hadn't even known just how much I'd liked having physical contact with her up until this point. It was still an unsolved mystery about why I hadn't been able to long for anybody else's touch. It always felt wrong when I kissed another girl or tried doing something else, and yet it didn't feel that way with her. I had never experienced something like that so I just let it slide thinking that everything would eventually go back to normal.

She stared at me and waited for some sort of opening speech that would get our conversation going. The problem was that I had no speech planned out whatsoever. I didn't even know what I was going to say. I didn't even know where to start because it honestly felt like I needed to tell her everything and nothing and I was incapable of doing so.

"I don't even know how to begin," I mumbled, and she rested her back on the couch. It felt like she was going to wait forever and I was somewhat grateful for that, even though it meant I'd have to say what was on my mind at some point.

"How about telling me what the whole charade with your friend was all about?" She asked, and I nodded. I knew that I would have to fess up sooner or later, but truth was I didn't even know why I acted that way myself. How was I supposed to give her the answer that I didn't even know?

"I'm not quite sure actually. I guess I just didn't want him to um," I looked away from her, "Be an inconvenience to you. He can be a real jerk with girls and he'd probably try to pick you up or something."

"So you thought you'd protect me by making me your personal whore?"

I could almost _feel_ her anger on my skin. My answer wasn't honest enough. I'd actually wanted to show Sting that she was mine. Even though she wasn't and even though it wasn't my plan to make her. I'd just acted on impulse and that impulse told me that I should mark my territory. So I did.

She didn't seem to believe me but she didn't press the matter either. Her shoulders raised upwards as though she was indifferent and too tired to try and pry the truth out of me. So I didn't say anything more on the subject either. She didn't seem too interested in why Sting had a huge bruise on his head so we didn't talk about that as well.

"About the girl you saw me with—" I started to explain, but she shook her head and raised her hands in defense.

"I don't need to know about any of that!" Her voice got squeaky and her cheeks flushed red, "I really don't care about what you do with girls behind closed doors. Or open doors, for that matter."

"Well that's the thing," I raised my hands up as well, "I wasn't doing anything at the time! I mean, sure, we were both naked and I only had a towel on, and that probably looked really misleading, but I promise you we weren't doing what you thought we were."

"No, no, it's alright!" Her hands shot up even higher, as we both tried calming the other person down, "it's your house so they're your rules. You can do whatever you want to! It doesn't concern me the least bit. I should be—and I _am—_ grateful for you letting me stay here for a while and I won't judge you or anything." She kept waving her hands in defense.

My heart ached. I'd never wanted anyone to trust me more than I did then. I felt like my whole life depended on whether or not she would believe me. It was a matter of life or death.

"Listen to me," I grabbed her hands and pulled them towards me, even though she didn't want to hear me out at all, "I didn't do anything with her. I couldn't. I can't. I'm unable to do things like that anymore. Anytime I try to do something with a girl I panic at the last moment and pull away. I can't Lucy, I fucking can't."

The room went dead silent save for the wind-like whispers of the AC. I turned it off and looked back towards her. Apparently the fact that I called her by her name didn't shake her as much as it shook me.

"Are you turning gay?" She smiled, planting a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

I smiled as well, scratching the back of my neck, "Oh I'm not, _trust me._ I know because…" I paused.

"…because?" she urged on.

 _Because I want to touch you._

"Because I still have feelings sometimes."

 _Because I want to run my hands down your waist and bite the side of your neck._

"Because I can sometimes feel lust."

 _Because I want to pull you in my arms right now and kiss you until you forget how to breathe and I become your air._

"Because I guess I started picking which girls I want to be with."

 _Because I want to pull your hair and rip your clothes off._

"Because I think I might stop being a man-whore."

 _Because I want to lock you in my room and do things to you. Because I also want to take you to see my mother, watch you cook dinner, sleep in your lap, teach you about the history of the world, hear you humming some tune from the shower, keep you away from Sting, bring you hot chocolate, visit your hometown, drive you around in my car, take you on trips. Because it's not only physical._

"Because I think I don't need a lot of girls to be satisfied anymore."

 _Because I want you._

And yet I didn't have the courage to say any of the things my mind thought of. She stared at me as though I'd grown a second head and I had to check to make sure I hadn't. The room went silent for a while and we both tried thinking of something to say. After a while, she giggled. I looked at her wondering what on earth had triggered it. It was rare of me to see her chuckle like that, so I smiled as well.

"I never thought you'd say something like that, but I guess people really _do_ change sometimes." I tried not to look too proud of what she said, but I was failing miserably. "I mean, you're making some sort of progress, to be honest." She looked down at her hands, and I stifled the urge to take one of them into my own, "I have no problem with you living your life the way you want to, but you should really think of what you're doing. For your own good, I mean."

"I haven't thought about it at all actually." I confessed, looking anywhere but at her, "Whenever I'm confronted with thoughts concerning my relationships with the opposite sex I immediately start negating everything in my head and try to start thinking about something else."

I hadn't really explained to her just how I felt about everything. I didn't tell her that she was the only one I somehow still had desires about. I didn't know how to say it, and it seemed like no matter how I chose to word it, it would still sound weird. So instead I told her that _yes,_ I was still into girls, and _no,_ I wasn't into every single one that walked past me on the street. She seemed to understand what I was trying to say, and nodded.

Even though it seemed like the conversation was supposed to be over, I still felt like we had a ton of subjects we hadn't even touched the surface of. Like her past, for example.

I decided to steer the talk into a different direction, and lighten things up a bit. "So," she looked back towards me, "my friends…" I paused, "my _former_ friends are getting together this Friday. We're going to this bar called Fairy Tail."

"Oh," she was probably thinking about what that had to do with her, "That's great, isn't it?"

"Not really. I don't really want to see them that much. I just said I was going because…" I thought for a moment, "I guess I didn't want them to go without me then talk behind my back when I'm not there to hear them. Even though they probably do it constantly." All of the sudden I wasn't really thrilled to be going.

I slouched on the headboard of the sofa and closed my eyes. "Wanna come?"

It had taken me pounds, no, _tons_ of my strength to ask that question. Even though they were just two small words it felt like I'd recited the entire Devine Comedy. She didn't seem to notice the superhuman efforts I'd put into that question and instead stared at me like I'd asked her to jump off a cliff.

"Why would I do that? I don't know any of the people that are going to be there and I don't think they'll like outsiders if they're ready to treat you like one as well."

"Gray will be there. You know him." By the time I'd realized it, I'd already started coming up with excuses to drag her there, "And I'll be there of course. You know me too. And Mirajane. She's really nice to everyone so you'll get along right away. They're also bringing their own companions, so why not? Nobody will mind you being there!"

She stared at me in bewilderment.

"Look I just," I couldn't bear the weight of her gaze so I looked away, "I really don't want to go there alone." I tried to smile and turn it into a joke, "They'll eat me alive."

Her eyes softened a little and I thought I saw a ghost of a smile lingering on her lips. I could tell that she didn't want to go, almost as much as I didn't, but she agreed nonetheless. It was at that moment that I realized just how much I depended on her. I'd gotten so used to having her around that I feared what might happen if she ever left my sight. I'd be left to my own devices once again and I would need to think of a way to solve all my problems, without going to her for help. I felt that she changed a part of me that I never thought would be able to change.

I wanted to thank her for doing all of these things for me, and still being next to me when I needed someone, but I thought that that sort of thing just wasn't my style. I wasn't the sort of person who said thank you with words.

"Tomorrow, after school, I'm going to take you somewhere."

I was the sort of person who said thank you with actions.

* * *

I tapped the mechanical pencil on the corner of my notebook, pretending to care about the structure of genes. I only had biology and P.E. left before I was free, and it felt like time was moving with rapid speed.

I'd been a real idiot when I proposed that last night, and she was an even bigger idiot for accepting it. I said I'd take her somewhere in the spur of the moment, but now that I'd slept on it and realized that I had no idea where to bring her to, I was completely enraged. I wanted her to have a good time but finding a good location was a real pain in the ass. It should be somewhere close so we don't have to lose time on traveling, and it would have to have something interesting for us to do so we won't have too much time to talk, because I couldn't trust myself with her alone anymore. I was curious about her past to the point where I had trouble sleeping at night. The picture I'd seen was troubling and confusing at the same time and I really just wanted to get it over with and ask her. But then she'd know that I was snooping around and I'd have no excuse in explaining that.

I slammed my head on the desk ignoring the stares I got from the other students.

Handling girls was fucking hard. I guessed that that was why I preferred sleeping around and had never had a serious girlfriend. Come to think of it, I hadn't even had a non-serious girlfriend. I just started playing around one day and sort of… didn't stop.

The realization that I was scum in other girls' eyes hit me like a truck. I'd always thought I was adored and worshiped by other girls because I was popular, but there were probably ones that only slept with me because they needed _someone_ to do it with. I was always down for it and they knew it. I'd been thinking that I was the one using them, when they might've been using me all the same. I was sure that some of them were genuinely interested in me, but most of them only agreed sleeping with me because they were fucking horny. And yet I thought I was something special.

I'd been so absorbed in that tragic discovery that I almost didn't notice my classmates leaving the classroom in order to go to the gym. I shook my head as though that would make me forget what I'd divulged. The hallway leading towards the changing rooms seemed so short that I almost panicked. Every second seemed to last half its original length. I wanted time to slow down again, like it did every time I touched _her._ But the progress of existence wouldn't slow down just because I was afraid to meet her outside the school's gates and tell her that I had no clue where I wanted to take her.

I'd spent the entire class siting on the bench and faking an abdominal injury, just so I could think over where we'd go. The teacher seemed to notice that I wasn't really _stabbed in the duodenum with a katana_ like I'd told him, but he was just too tired of me and my attitude that ne just nodded and let me do my thing. But even the extra 45 minutes of thinking did me no good.

I felt the urge to run back home and hide under a blanket because I really had no idea what to do. It felt like the entire trip was supposed to be perfect and I knew that that was what she deserved for helping me out when I needed her. That was why I didn't want to do it halfhearted. But my lack of expertise in the field of "what girls actually want except the things you can do in a bed", wasn't really helping me.

"Natsu!" I felt my body paralyze when I heard my name being called out and I almost screamed when Gray smacked the back of my head. The relief I felt when I noticed it was him was priceless.

"Gray, thank God," I grabbed the collar of his shirt pulling him towards me, shaking him back and forth, "Help me fake a heart attack!" He stared at me, "Or let's stage a murder! Here, you put on this hoodie I stashed in my bag during P.E. and act like you're stabbing me in the heart repeatedly while I spray some ketchup on my shirt and scream out in agony!"

"Dude, what the fuck?" He released himself from my hold, "Has your idiocy finally gotten the better of you?"

When I explained to him just what sort of problem I had been facing all morning, he took his sweet time in laughing his ass off at how pathetic I was being. I wanted to protest and throw a hissy fit, but he offered to help me. Needless to say I was interested.

"Alright, what you're saying is… you've never been on a date before?"

"This isn't a date."

"Answer my question."

I cringed, looking around the school's garden to see if she was there somewhere. When I noticed that she wasn't, I exhaled in relief.

"I haven't." I said finally, and it took everything he had in him not to laugh out loud again.

"Okay, okay, that's totally not weird at all." He winked at me, "But how the hell did you score all those girls?"

"I don't know? I call them and they come?"

He stared. "And how do you get their number?"

"I see a girl. I ask her. She gives it to me." I said, matter-of-factly.

He gaped at me and shook his head in short motions. Waving a hand around as if to chase away the conversation we'd strayed into, he looked me back in the eyes and smiled with determination.

"Alright then, since you said she should be meeting you here any second now, we don't have time for lessons. I'll give you just a few quick pointers." I nodded, almost calling him 'sensei' by accident. "Okay, so the first thing you need to remember is to make sure she's comfortable. That means you should ask her where she wants to eat if you're taking her out for food and not forcing anything on her. Second, don't talk to other so much that you make her feel excluded. Meaning if you see someone you know don't start a conversation and leave her hanging. Third, don't talk about other girls in front of her or you'll look like a bragging slob. Fourth—"

"—hurry the fuck up—"

"— _Fourth,_ don't ask her too many questions or she'll think you're being suspicious. And don't ask how many guys she's been with. That's a basic rule." We saw her approaching, and his talking turned to maximum speed, "Okay, okay, last one _I promise._ Five; make sure you convey just how much she means to you."

"She doesn't mean shit—"

"—yeah, yeah whatever." He rolled his eyes, and ran in front of me to say hello.

"Oh, hi Gray. You're coming as well?" She asked, and Gray looked at me with an evil grin plastered on his face. He only did that when he was planning to do something that I would be angry about.

"Ooh! You're going somewhere? I want to come!"

I felt my insides burn and my rage rise. So that was his plan all along. He was fucking testing me. He wanted to see whether I was too much of a pussy and let him join us. He wanted me to crack and ruin everything.

"Aww, that's too bad, since you have your pottery lessons and all that." My smile was faker than Lady Gaga's eyelashes. He raised his eyebrows as if asking me if that was the best thing I could come up with.

"Oh no worries," his eyes got a mischievous glint, "I can cancel."

"Oh but all those grannies that go there will surely miss you!" I wailed with fake enthusiasm.

"And you won't?" He batted his eyelashes. Blondie was having a hard time trying to figure out what the hell was going on and I honestly didn't blame her.

"Just kidding," Gray waved it away, clearly feeling that he'd had his fair share of fooling around, "You kids have fun."

And before we could say anything, he turned around and left. Even after all these years I still couldn't understand what I'd done to make a friend like him. Even after I turned into this sex-crazed idiot he had been the only one who hadn't given up on me. My thoughts about my best and probably only friend were cut off by the sight of her.

She wore her usual wide blue jeans, but had a normal t-shirt on. It was probably because of the weather getting better. I'd remembered to pack two hoodies in my car though, in case it got colder. She noticed me staring at her and just smiled. In that moment the sound of other students talking shit about us was drowned out. I could no longer hear the oohs and aahs they made as they whispered about this weird combination in their field of vision. I was sure that the whole school would know about this by tomorrow. They would all want to know what a playboy like me was doing with a weird introvert like her.

She seemed to notice the weird looks we got, since her smile dropped, "Sorry about… this." She said, but I noticed her hands grip the straps of her backpack tighter, "About your reputation and all that." When I failed to reply, she turned around, "I can go home if you want."

"No." My voice sounded stern in a way I'd never heard it before. It felt like I was protecting something and I liked it. "You just wait in front of the gates and I'll go get the car from the parking lot."

Minutes later I parked it right in front of the school's main gate, ignoring the awed expressions on the faces of those who shared the same building with me. I hated everyone who went to our school because none of them seemed to approve of me being friendly with someone like her. But Natsu Dragneel didn't need approval.

I even walked out of the car and opened the door for blondie just to make everyone even more weirded out.

We were out of their sight in just seconds, as I sped down the road in a way that made my thoughts clear and my feelings calm down. She didn't seem to mind me not talking at all, and I silently thanked her. My grip on the steering wheel loosened and I sighed in relief to be gone from that forsaken hellhole. Only when I couldn't see the building in my rearview mirror did I truly relax. And then I tensed up again when I remembered something. I had no clue where we were going. I had acted like some bigshot back there and I basked in my glory, but I actually had no idea what I was supposed to do next.

"Where are we going?"

I almost turned the car left and rammed it into a fucking tree. She'd asked the one question I was hoping she wouldn't.

I decided to go with honesty for once, "I just wanted us to drive around for a little."

She didn't protest, surprisingly.

I had to take a moment to actually appreciate the fact that I was in the same car with this girl and she _still_ hadn't begged me to let her out and drive myself off a cliff. After all the time I'd been spending with her I had gotten to the point where I actually _didn't_ hate her existence. I even sort of respected it. I was fond of her. I liked spending time with her from the very beginning but I was never aware of that. I went to the nurse's office when she was working there on a daily basis, and at first I thought I did that because I was bored or because I wanted to rest. But I could've gone anywhere else. I could've gotten myself some girl or a porn mag and sat at some café because at that time I didn't really care much about anything. I was unware of just how attached I'd gotten to this person. The only thing I'm still not aware of is why.

"Thank you for letting me stay over."

Her voice cut through the silence like a knife and I had to look away from the road to glance at her. Her head was propped up against the window, illuminated by the streetlights that cast small stipes of light across her face in rhythmic periods. Her breathing was slow and quiet. For a second there I just wanted to stop the car and stare at her.

I was glad to have his creature seated next to me. Never had driving someone in my cart felt so important. Like I was the personal chauffer of Queen Elizabeth herself.

"It's nothing." I said.

"No, it isn't. I can't go back to the dorms and I can't pay for an apartment." Her hands were clasped together, resting over her lap, trembling either from the motion of the car or the nervousness in her voice, "I promise I won't be much of a nuisance for long. I've been looking for a part time job and I think I'll apply in the bar you were telling me about. I searched it online and they're looking for a barmaid."

"In Fairy Tail?" I asked, a bit taken aback.

Suddenly, images of her standing behind the bar counter flashed into my mind. She was wearing a short dress that exposed her long legs. The top part had a cleavage that blocked out everything else. She was smiling at men that came for a drink and gladly taking their order. They're tipping her. She's smiling again. They're trying to pick her up and get her number. She's working alone on a Saturday night and guys try to land their hands on her. Groping her. Touching her in places I could only dream of. Forcing her to be compliant and do as they say. She's small and weak. She could be easily overpowered if the chance presented herself. They would talk about her. Use dirty words and drool over her ass. Whistle and catcall. Maybe they'd even take pictures. She's working until late and there's nobody to pick her up. Street harassment. And what if she actually starts trusting some guy? What if she gives him her number?

"Yes, Fairy Tail."

"If you ever say that again," she looked towards me, "I'll fucking slap you and I'm not even kidding."

Her mouth opened a bit in surprise and I took it as a signal to look back onto the road and _not_ get us killed. "You're a fucking girl. You can't protect yourself for shit. What if some guy comes in and wants to rob the place? What will you do? Hit him with your fanny pack?" She tried to reply but I cut her off, "Guys go to places like that to get drunk. Do you think you could handle a guy three times your size if he ever tried coming on to you?" She recoiled in her seat, "Imagine a guy comes in and pulls out a gun. What the fuck are you going to do, huh!?"

I was too frustrated to look at her so I kept my eyes on the road. My grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"And what if someone drinks until they pass out and says they have no money to pay you, huh? Are you able to overpower him?" We'd already left the city, and were now speeding down the highway huddled between fields of wheat. "Until you can fucking take care of yourself at a place like that—which is fucking never—don't you dare say something as stupid like that again."

She didn't make a sound.

"But if you think you're capable of taking down a full grown man itching for alcohol and a girl in a miniskirt then by all means go ahead and be my guest."

The interior fell silent and I almost regretted my words a little. I'd snapped at her even though she was probably willing to do anything but be a burden to me and my home. "Look," my voice was soft, "I'm in a good place, financially. You can stay as long as you want."

"But I just," she finally found the will to speak again, "I just want to do something for you in return!"

"You've already done more than I could ever hope for."

We both fell in silent examination of the words I'd just said. I drove around the freeway for a few minutes longer until we got to the sea. I'd driven us to a small port town called Hargeon. I'd been there a few times with my mother in the past, while she was still well, and it felt like the perfect place for us to get out and try to relieve the tension I'd created.

I parked in front of a small book store, and smiled when I saw her literally jump out of the car to stare at the books in the window. "we can go inside before heading back, if you want." I said, and almost melted when I saw the smile radiating on her face. We walked around the cobblestone streets, talking about the various stores and the olden-styled houses. It seemed like time had stopped here, and we both liked it.

"I remember a small restaurant on one of the ports. It's literally above water." I said, and she turned to look at me, "I used to come here with my mom on vacation sometimes. I promise it has good food."

A few minutes later we sat down on the wooden chairs, and marveled at the medieval style of the tables. The kitchen was on the land, but the tables and chairs were on the wooden port above water. If you leaned a bit towards the edge you could see the orange koi fish swimming around. She tossed a few nibbles of bread in the water while we waited for our meal.

I couldn't help staring at her profile. Even though I'd been practically yelling my head off just fifteen minutes ago, it felt like everything had gone right with the world again. I sighed in relief and she stopped what she was doing to look at me. I had my hand placed on the palm of my hand which was propped up on the table. I'd been staring at her without even noticing it. I probably looked like some sort of creep.

"Thank you for brining me here, Dragneel." I felt my stomach churn at the mention of my last name.

I broke off the eye contact, still unable to hold it like I was supposed to.

The waiter brought our meals and we dug in. Even though I expected her to order a salad or something, she got herself some crispy baked chicken wings with a side of mashed potatoes. I smiled at the thought of her being so fucking different from any other girl I'd ever seen.

I put a piece of my lasagna in my mouth and almost spit it out when it burned my tongue. "Damn this shit is hot." She looked at me, "But not as hot as you, am I right?"

The flirting was back. The lust was back. But this time I wasn't stupid enough to believe that I'd feel it towards others as well. No. She seemed to trigger me in a way nobody else could and I feared her for that.

She rolled her eyes at my sentence and shook her head. "Back with the fuckboy attitude, are we?"

But she smiled nonetheless. The sun warmed her skin and her hair hugged the sides of her head perfectly. I could feel her leg accidently brush off my own and her arm just inches away from mine. Her eyes bore holes into my skull and her lips moved to chew in ways that made my insides boil and my mind go crazy. She even made eating look attractive. Her t-shirt sagged around her shoulders and drooped down leaving one of them uncovered. I stared at the newly appeared patch of skin, adorned by the black strap of her bra. I stared at her throat as she swallowed a drink of water. She looked peaceful. Everything did.

I reached out and placed my hand on her own.

* * *

 **A/N: Weekly update, yay! Natsu being cute, yay! He has a lot to make up for though.**

 **I binged Durarara! again for the third time and I'm honestly worried for my health. I haven't gone to sleep before 6AM in two months and my friends are worried lol. Oh well... so much anime so little time...**

 **Thanks for all the nice reviews you guys! I really appreciate having a reason to fangirl for!**

 **See you next week, I hope!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Shawn Mendes is my guilty pleasure.**

* * *

 **17**

 **My everything**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _I could feel her leg accidently brush off my own and her arm just inches away from mine. Her eyes bore holes into my skull and her lips moved to chew in ways that made my insides boil and my mind go crazy. She even made eating look attractive. Her t-shirt sagged around her shoulders and drooped down leaving one of them uncovered. I stared at the newly appeared patch of skin, adorned by the black strap of her bra. I stared at her throat as she swallowed a drink of water. She looked peaceful. Everything did.  
_ _I reached out and placed my hand on her own._

* * *

"Listen," her eyes widened at the sudden contact, but she didn't move her hand. I knew the words I was preparing to say were going to make me regret them but I couldn't hold anything in anymore. "Truth is, I'm scared."

"You're scared?" She echoed, and for that single moment the whole place was empty and we were alone and there were no other people on the entire world. "Of what?"

"That's the thing. I don't know." I removed my hand instinctively, afraid that she'd retreat hers first if I didn't. "One time I'm feeling like I can take on the entire world and there's nothing to stop me. And other times I just want to crawl in a hole and die."

Her expression softened, "Don't say things like that."

For the first time ever I felt like I actually mattered to someone even though I was probably imagining it. "I mean, take this girl thing. I thought it would be an achievement to collect them all, haha. And now I think it isn't. It's like I can't make up my mind about anything and it's driving me insane."

"That just means you're growing as a person."

The warmth that had previously spread from her hand and onto mine still felt like heaven. As far as I was concerned we could spend the rest of our lives here and I wouldn't regret a thing. This day had felt like magic the entire time and I didn't want to go back to our own city and ruin it again. I exhaled, not ready to open up my soul and explain just how hard it had been on me. Just how much the thoughts of the girl in the bakery weighed on my being, and how much the thought of my birth parents existing in a space so accessible sounded scary. I could visit them any time I wanted to since we apparently lived in the same town and I was frightened out of my mind. Even with everything that had been happening the last couple of days, that disturbing thought was always lingering in the back of my head.

"What about you?" The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them. "What dark secrets taint _your_ past?"

She was taken aback to say the least, judging by the way she pulled back, and squirmed in her seat. She was suddenly very interested in the food and started eating with a greater appetite. Or so it seemed.

"It's a very boring story. I believe I've told you most of it." She kept filling her mouth with food, and I couldn't help but feel the incredible shift of defenses around her. Like any sort of progress I ever made had now been thrown back into my face. "My father was a—"

" _—pharmacist,_ yes, I know that. I know all of that. But I'm talking about the bigger picture. You know, your life. What was it like back where you used to live? Who were you friends with? What did you do?" I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling venom drip with every word of the question I dared ask, "Who did you date?"

 _There was an incident back in second year, and I went back to help her with it._

I wanted to ask about it as well. I wanted to know what that incident was about, and if it was somehow connected to the picture I saw. The same picture that kept me up at night.

"Well, I was best friends with Gray. He always helped me around because I was a crybaby when I was a child." She smiled, recalling distant memories that clouded her vision. I was already sorry I'd asked. I felt a hit of discomfort while listening about her being al buddy-buddy with my best friend. The questions I'd wanted the answers of left a bad taste in my mouth.

"Anyway," she continued, and I tried busying myself with eating a bit more of my lasagna, "It was just a normal childhood in a normal town. There's nothing worth mentioning."

"Did you have any boyfriends?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

She stared down at the mashed potatoes, before looking back up at me. "Of course I did. You didn't think I was some sort of nun, did you?" A smile played at her lips, "I've kissed a guy before."

I felt like all my ships sunk and all my airplanes crashed. The wind was knocked out of my lungs and the grown wavered beneath me. A meteor could be headed towards the planet at that exact moment and the only thing I would be thinking of would be that her lips had touched someone else's. How many guys were there? Did they mean anything to her? How long did she date each of them? Were there any long, serious relationships? Did she go far? Did _they_ go far? How much had they touched? How much had they kissed?

I swallowed down the last bite of lasagna, asking the waiter for a check without bothering to ask if she wanted dessert. She didn't seem to mind, and we had an argument about who should pay the bill. When we exited the restaurant, I felt the air around me shift and my lungs widen with oxygen. The answers I'd gotten from her had made me feel a bit down, and I was almost certain she'd noticed that as well. We walked along the port, stopping at random to take a look at the fish swimming in the sea. She tossed the remains of the bread she'd taken with her from the restaurant, and I crouched down to have a better look.

I stared at the koi fish, their red and orange scales glistening from the sunrays descending upon the water, crowding around the dissolving breadcrumbs, a fight for the who gets to swallow the biggest chunk. I was too absorbed in observing the creatures that I didn't even notice she was gone. I only acknowledged her return when she tapped the corner of my shoulder, and I looked upwards, the cascading rays of the sun slowly diminishing behind the mountains.

She held out her hand, offering me a portion of frozen yoghurt. She'd probably gotten it from the frozen yoghurt stand we'd passed a while ago. I accepted her offer, and she sat down beside me, letting her legs dangle off the edge of the deck. I scooted closer, licking the chocolate flavored goodness that melted on my tongue.

She'd gotten vanilla for herself, and I couldn't stop staring at her mouth while she ate it. At that moment, I wanted to lean forward and mix our flavors. I wanted to taste vanilla and have her taste chocolate. I wanted to explore the crevice of her mouth and pull her into my arms. And I did. I let my hand glide over to the side of her head, cup her cheek and bring her closer to me. We sat there unmoving. Caressed by the sunset and bathed in the silence. The small waves hitting the rocks beneath the port lulled us into a land of waking dreams, and I needn't waste another second. I looked down at her lips and pulled her even closer until her forehead connected with mine. I'd kissed a hundred girls before and yet I felt like this would be my first time. I was suddenly not very confident with my kissing skills and wanted to pull away. But I didn't.

Her breath mixed with mine and I felt the half-eaten cone of frozen yoghurt fall out of my other hand, splashing into the sea as it broke the surface. I wasted no time in using my newly freed hand to grasp the other side of her head, locking her in a way she couldn't escape. Her own hands stood still on her lap, keeping her own cone in a tight hold. I couldn't see her eyes because I was too concentrated on her lips.

For a second, I thought it had started raining. I pulled back in an instant once I heard a choking sob escape her lips. My hands recoiled as though she'd burned me. I tried to grasp the reality of the situation, watching tears roll down her cheeks and wails leave her mouth. She was crying. Was my approach _that_ bad? Did my breath smell? Did I move to quickly? Was she afraid?

I'd almost forgotten that I was about to kiss the girl. The only thing on my mind was the fact that she was breaking down right in front of me and I had no idea what to do about it. I set my hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her trembling form as the cone of frozen yoghurt rolled out of her hands. Half of it was melted by now, dripping down the wafer cornet and sliding all the way to her fingers. I tossed it into the sea as well, half-expecting some aqua-police officer or marine biologist to jump out of nowhere and lecture me.

My attention shifted back towards the girl who looked like she'd shrunk considerably. She was already small to begin with, but now she looked tiny. Like I could scoop her up into my arms and squeeze her until she compresses into nothing and slides out between my arms. My hands found their way to her head again, pushing strands of hair out of her face so I could take a better look at her. It felt like she was crying forever. Like she'd been chosen to carry out the burden of the entire population. Like her sobs were the pain of the whole humanity. Like her tears were the sadness of every soul.

I whispered soothing words to her, trying to calm her down as I struggled to understand where to put my hands. Pet her head or hold her hands? Shut up or try and talk to her?

I was glad there was no one around to look at us. It wasn't a tourist town or anything like that. I looked around the port and sighed in relief when I noticed there was nobody there.

Before I had the time to look back at her, she flung herself into my arms, her small frame crushing into my own, and I had to support my body on my hands to keep us from falling. She shook into my arms, and I tightened my hold around her, our legs intertwining as I pulled her to sit onto my lap. Her hands gripped and pulled on my shirt like it were her lifeline, and her sobs were lost into my chest, muffled by the material of my shirt. I opened my mouth to try and ask what was going on, but I found no words. Instead, I pulled her closer than I ever thought was physically possible, feeling her melt into my arms. It was a feeling of bliss I'd never encountered before. I had to wonder… had I ever hugged her before? Maybe I had, maybe I hadn't…

The only thing taking over my mind and clouding my senses was the fact that even though she was broken and crying I still felt warmth radiating from her body. I buried my head into her hair and sucked in a breath of air, calming myself with the light smell of shampoo.

I had no idea just how much of an impact a hug could have.

It took her a few more minutes before she finally calmed down and stopped crying, and even though she tried to pull away, I didn't let her. I held her close to me with all my might, feeling that she might disappear into thin air if I ever let her go. She was probably wondering why I still held her even after her mini-depression-session. But I found that it was physically impossible for me to separate myself from her now that I finally had her in my arms. I'd wished for this day and one way or another I'd gotten it. I forgot that it was greedy of me to still hold her. I forgot it was thoughtless to care only about my wish being granted. But at that very moment having her body pressed to mine was of the upmost importance. She was as close to being mine as she ever would be.

We stayed there bathing in silence for the next couple of minutes, each of us too preoccupied with our thoughts to try and talk about what happened. I ran my hand up and down her back, even though she was as calm as ever. The sky was basked in complete darkness and the streetlights had been on for some time. A ghost of a wind blew around us, and she felt cold in my arms.

Much to my great disappointment and disapproval, I finally released my hold and watched her sit up straight. "I'll go back to the car for a quick second and I'll be right back." I mumbled, watching her nod and turn to look at the sea again.

Her eyes were clouded with answers I didn't have the questions to.

* * *

The gravel crackled beneath my feet as I paced back towards the docks, my eyes scanning the vicinity for her long blonde hair. I spotted her standing next to the very edge of the water, listening to the sound of the waves. I placed my hoodie on her from behind, and she gladly accepted it. Seeing her wear something that belongs to me filled me with a sort of joy I never thought possible. It was like I was privileged to have her acknowledge something of mine.

"What's your biggest regret?" She asked suddenly, and I couldn't help but feel confused. I looked away towards the sky, raking my brain for an answer even though I already knew what I was going to say.

"I regret not running after you the day I spilled over the food from your tray in the cafeteria." My voice was low and quiet, as though I was hoping she wouldn't hear me.

She giggled in a way only a highschooler could, shaking her head, "Seriously? You don't regret spilling the food in the first place?"

"I don't. Then we wouldn't have met."

The words left my mouth almost automatically, like I was waiting for her to ask that question. She stopped laughing but her smile lingered on, and it was the moment I would freeze time if I ever could.

"What's _your_ biggest regret?" I asked, and her body tensed up. I could almost see a cloud of worry on top of her little blond head.

"That's what I was thinking of when I… when I cried back then, and—"

My phone buzzed in my pocket, the annoying ringtone roaring away in the night. I told her to ignore it, but she urged me to accept the call. I had no idea who was calling me. The only thing on my mind was what she was about to say to me.

"Yes?" I asked, the annoyance ever-present in my voice.

"Are you the dude who told me to call him if the blue-haired girl ever comes into the bakery?"

My breaths came slow and rushed. She noticed something was wrong, and walked away politely to leave me to my own devices. I took a few seconds to calm down before replying.

"I am."

"Must be your lucky day since she came in to order a birthday cake. She'll be picking it up tomorrow at six." His voice was monotone, not once raising or falling, but it transferred excitement to me nonetheless. I looked towards blondie, walking around the port and throwing glances towards the horizon. As I turned off my phone, I decided it on the spot.

I jogged towards her, hugging her from behind and surprising her a little. "I want you to come with me when I go meet my parents tomorrow." I whispered in her ear, afraid to do it alone. I knew I was relying on her too much, like I'd never relied on anyone or anything before in my life. She could easily turn me down. She could easily abandon me. She could very well disappoint me in every way possible. I hated trusting others because they always let me down but I felt like I wouldn't mind being let down by her.

"I will." Her words came out slow and wobbly, but held my strength in them. A full army wouldn't be of help like she would. Her hand reached up and settled itself on my arms which were carefully wrapped around her shoulders. I relaxed at her touch, the tension from before gone instantaneously. "I will."

* * *

I took her to the bookstore like I promised, and bought all three novels when she couldn't decide on one. We argued for quite a while about me being the one who purchased them, and I had to remind her that I _wanted_ to spend money on her. And I did. I wanted to spoil the hell out of her. Treat her to whatever she wants and take her wherever she feels like going. She caved after our yelling started upsetting the other customers and I don't think I've ever made a more valuable purchase. The shine in her eyes was more than enough payment.

We drove back home, the thoughts of her past, my past, and the eventfulness of tomorrow already erased by the good vibes. In the end, I couldn't hear her biggest regret, but I would wait. I would wait until she was ready to sit down and tell me all about it.

The last thing I wanted to do was cause her even more pain.

* * *

The next day passed at an alarming rate, and I felt my heartbeat increase with each passing minute. We agreed to meet in front of the school gates and head towards the bakery together, and seeing her standing there in a t-shirt and jeans, trying to hold down her voluminous hair from being blown by the wind, and looking around for my silhouette made something inside of me smile. It was a great honor to be the one she's waiting for.

"You looked better in my hoodie yesterday," I called out to her from across the school yard, and she turned to look at me. "But you know what you look best in? That white sleeveless dress."

"I don't have a white sleeveless dress." She raised her eyebrow.

"Exactly." My grin stretched out more than humanly possible, flirting away all my problems.

She rolled her eyes like usual, but hopped into my car nonetheless. If she continued riding with me it would be really hard to picture someone else in her seat. I exhaled in an attempt to relieve the stress piled up in me, and drove towards the bakery.

* * *

We ordered some donuts to mask the fact that we were on lookout. According to the guy who sells the stuff she's supposed to be here in half an hour. I was just praying that she would come alone, because I wasn't mentally prepared to face her parents yet. Or were they my parents as well? I shook my head to clear my thoughts and directed my attention towards blondie.

She was too busy eating her donut and looking through messages on her phone to notice how stressed I was. I swallowed down a bit of my milk, before clearing my throat. "Who are you texting?" I asked, trying to sound as natural as I could.

"I'm just looking through some old messages," she said, which didn't console me at all. Old messages? How old? Who are they from? I looked at her as though asking the questions with my eyes, and it seemed like she understood how curious I was. She waved her hand around, "Oh, it's nothing important, really."

My eyes darted from her to the door every couple of seconds and I tried not to look _too_ overwhelmed by what was going on. My life seemed to take a drastic turn of events since I met her, but I was somewhat glad I wasn't in some back alley right now, making out with some random girl I found. My nervousness was getting the better of me, as I searched for some sort of distraction.

"So," I reached across the table, twirling one of her blonde locks around my finger as she eyed me suspiciously, "Are you going to order something else or am I everything you need?"

Her mouth dropped down and she rolled her eyes, as per usual. "You're unbelievable."

"Unbelievably hot." I corrected, letting go of the strand of hair to place my hand under her chin, "I bet you want me bad right now."

"Or is it the other way around?" She challenged, but I wasn't backing down.

"It's a two way street." I said, "We both want each other. I bet you're just _wishing_ for me to kiss you right now." My thumb trailed over her cheek, "Here," it brushed her lips, "here," my hand slid down to her neck, "and here."

She leaned her head to the side, "And what if I am?"

My mouth went dry.

"What if I really _am_ wishing for you to kiss me?" She let go of the phone, placing her forefinger square on my lips, "Right here."

My heart was beating as though it was trying to rip open my chest. My mouth opened in surprise, her finger remaining on my lower lip as I stared at her. Her eyes were open and challenging. It was as though she was daring me to kiss her. Was she trying to seduce me?

I looked down at her lips, unable to bare the weight of her stabbing gaze. I knew I had zero percent chance in ever kissing her or doing anything remotely close to that, but the way she was acting now made me want to try. Kiss her soft lips and bite them and make sure she's just mine and she knows it. But I knew very well that I wouldn't deserve her in a million years. No matter how much I'd turn my life around I'd never be worthy for this sort of divine creature. I was just blessed spending time with her like this when she could've been anywhere else and doing anything. Everything is a better option than just sitting here with a pathetic loser like me.

Her finger left my mouth and I almost punched myself from not thinking to bite it and hold it in place. It was too late for a stunt like that now, and I felt my own hand retract in embarrassment.

"What's wrong?" She teased, leaning on the table, "Is the almighty Mr. Dragneel at a loss for words?" I swallowed my spit in an attempt to calm myself, and she inched closer, whispering "Scared, Dragneel?"

 _Scared, blondie?_

My own words came back to bite me in the ass, and I clenched my hands into fists under the table.

My bravado left me to go on a vacation and my ego seemed to diminish into nothingness.

Images of me and her on my bed flooded my mind in a matter of seconds, and I thanked god she couldn't read minds. I'd lusted over other girls before but not like this. Never like this.

Never had I wanted to grab her from the seat and carry her to my room. Tossing her on my bed and turning the lights off. Ripping my shirt off my body and sitting on top of her. She's watching me. Her hands move to my head and tangle in my hair, and mine find their place on her stomach, trailing circles under her t-shirt and leaving goosebumps where they pass. I lean down and kiss the side of her neck, hearing her soft voice scream out my name. She's shouting—

"Natsu?"

I snap back into reality with my cheeks bright red and my mind foggy. She called my name. Here and now. I looked at her as though she was a baby speaking for the first time, as she pointed behind me. I turned to see the blue haired girl from that time, casually strolling over to the cashier to get her cake or whatever. She took the bag and turned to leave, her feet freezing in motion when she noticed me. We stared at each other, the rest of the world erased from existence. My mouth opened and closed at random, seconds passing by without either of us trying to make a move. It was like we both needed a trigger.

I felt blondie's hand squeeze my own and I got the prompt I was waiting for. One look in her eyes told me that she was supporting me to the fullest and was waiting for me to make a move. I pleaded her with my eyes to tell me what to do at a time like this. How does one confront the doorway to their past without being scared of what they might find behind it?

When she noticed I wasn't doing anything, she looked towards the girl, "Hello there. Can we talk for a while? My friend and I want to ask you something."

That must've been the moment I realized she was my life. Lucy was my everything.

* * *

 **A/N: AHEM!**

 ** _IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:_ I will be on a two-week vacation so I won't be posting a chapter next week. I'm so so so so so sorry but I promise I will make it up to you with a huge action-packed, romance-filled and steamy chapter next time! All questions will be answered and new ones will appear! Get ready for the chapter of your lifetime!**

 **That sounded so bold... what if i flop?**

 **Anyyyways, I'm leaving my town in less than two hours and I haven't packed yet! Yikes! I was too busy writing this chapter im crying rn**

 **kisses to all of you, can't wait to write again!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: THIS TOOK FOREVER TO WRITE**

* * *

 **18**

 **Dream come true**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _I felt blondie's hand squeeze my own and I got the prompt I was waiting for. One look in her eyes told me that she was supporting me to the fullest and was waiting for me to make a move. I pleaded her with my eyes to tell me what to do at a time like this. How does one confront the doorway to their past without being scared of what they might find behind it?  
When she noticed I wasn't doing anything, she looked towards the girl, "Hello there. Can we talk for a while? My friend and I want to ask you something."  
That must've been the moment I realized she was my life. Lucy was my everything._

* * *

The girl stepped towards us, looking reluctant as she did so. I tried to act as calm and collected as I could, but the sweat dripping down my forehead probably gave me away. I looked at Lucy, thankful to have her here with me.

"Yes?" The girl's voice brought my attention back on her, as she raised her hand to pat my head, marveling at the color of my locks. "What do you want to ask?"

"Well," Lucy coughed to clear her throat, glancing towards me as if expecting me to finish. When she noticed that I wasn't going to say anything, she smiled politely at the girl and took the initiative, "You told my friend here that you knew somebody else that had the same hair color."

"Yes," the girl nodded, and we both sighed in relief. We were getting somewhere. But she didn't say a word after that. It looked like we had to pull the sentences out of her.

"What's your name?" Lucy asked in an attempt to clear the air.

"Wendy." The girl toyed with a strand of my hair, not once caring enough to look me in the eyes, "Wendy Marvell."

"Alright Wendy," Lucy started, acknowledging the fact that I wasn't going to say a word. "Would you mind telling us more about that boy you know?"

Wendy kept shifting her direction from me and onto Lucy the whole time we were there. I tried to act as normal as I could but I highly doubt I succeeded.

"Well, there's a picture," Wendy's shy words spoke volumes as I tried not to beg her to talk faster, "A picture in my living room. At least there used to be. It's not there anymore, and I haven't seen it in a while, actually." She set the cake on the table to relieve herself of the weight, "When I asked mommy about it she said that she used to know the boy but she didn't anymore. I asked even more questions but she didn't answer any of them, and just took the picture somewhere else."

Lucy and I listened intently, set on trying to discover everything the girl was ready to disclose to us. Lucy pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I see, and who else was in the picture? Your parents?"

She cocked her head to the side, as if confused by the question. "No, not at all. I just saw pictures of the boy but my parents weren't on any of them."

My partner in crime and I just stared at each other for a few seconds, trying to figure out what that meant. If I wasn't with them in the pictures, then why did they even have them? Did that mean that they hated me _that_ much to even take a single fucking picture with their own child?

"But Aunt Annice was in one." We both turned our heads back to her. "Aunt Annice and Uncle Igneel." She scratched her cheek with her forefinger, "They didn't have any kids so it was weird when I saw the picture." A smile stretched out across her face, "I guess that's why mom said it happened before I was born."

"What happened before you were born?"

"The boy was adopted."

The room fell silent save for the chewing of other customers. I felt some sort of stabbing pain in my chest, and even though I'd told myself countless times in the past that I didn't need to know anything about my birth parents, and that I didn't care about any of that bullshit, it still hit me hard. I stared down at my lap, completely cut off the outside world. I could hear Lucy say something to the girl and whatnot, but my brain couldn't process it. I received the soundwaves, but I couldn't translate them into actual words. It was as if everyone was mumbling and I was the only one who spoke English.

Despite all my efforts I couldn't utter a single word, and after minutes of trying, I finally tuned back into the conversation.

"Thank you, Wendy." Lucy's hand patted her head, and the little girl giggled without a care in the world. "But remember that talking to strangers is dangerous. We were nice the whole time but maybe next time people won't be. So if someone calls you over to as you something, you just turn the other way around and go." The girl looked towards the ground in shame, "Find some store or something and stay in there and call your parents to come pick you up." Even though the girl was probably around twelve years old, she was still too young to talk to strangers and I silently thanked Lucy for lecturing her. After all, Wendy was probably my cousin.

We watched her leave the store, Lucy getting up to signalize that out work here was done as well.

I followed her out.

* * *

"What's next?" She asked, and I shook my head to snap out of the trance. We'd been parked in front of my house for a few minutes now, and I was not showing any signs of getting outside the car. I wanted to hide the fact that I was confused and scared, but it was completely impossible.

"I don't know," I said honestly, staring at my feet. The air was thick with helplessness and it was finally getting to me. I leaned back in my seat, trying to block out every single thought that dared creep to my head.

"Are you going to visit them?" She asked, and I raised my shoulders in wonder. I had no idea.

"Are you mad at them?" She continued, the sound of her voice getting on my nerves. "You should've asked for their address. I would go if I were you. Aren't you interested in what they look like? Don't you want to know why they left you? You must have so many questions—"

"God, just fucking stop, _please_." I said, my voice venomous, "I don't want to talk about it, in case you haven't noticed. Just shut the fuck up and leave me alone!"

I regretted the words even before I said them. The sound of her opening the door and walking out of the car was the only thing that filled the air. I watched her back as she walked off in silence, doing as I told her. She didn't go back into the house, probably because I had the key in my pocked, and instead turned down the street towards the nearest store. I soaked in my own misery for a while more, before leaving the car myself.

* * *

The house had a different feel without her there. It felt like the funeral of my heart. The rooms were the coffin and I was the body. The furniture were the people and the silence was the music.

I'd gone to hell and back again and yet she was the only thing that made me feel even sadder.

By _that_ time I was fully aware. I was aware that I had a special connection toward her. A bond that transcends time and space and goes on into oblivion. A feeling that can't be explained in words and can't be shown in pictures. A somewhat deeper connection on a spiritual level. I wouldn't even call it attraction anymore. It went beyond physical interaction and human feelings. It's a story I'm not able to tell and an artwork I'm unable to paint.

I'd just gotten real life info on my parents and yet the only thing I could think of was the fact that I yelled at her. That she was out there alone. That it was already dark outside and that she was wandering the streets unguarded. That I was a jerk. That I've always been a jerk. That I've treated her in ways other people would punish by law. I didn't even deserve to breathe the same air as her.

I pushed all presumptions about my birth parents aside and slammed the door behind me, running off towards the direction she took earlier. I had no clue where she was and cursed when she didn't answer my phone. Countless thoughts entered my brain and escaped it at the blink of an eye. I couldn't grasp a single logical word and just ran around aimlessly. She had every right to be mad at me but I at least hoped she would answer the call or maybe just text me her location. I just needed to know that she was safe. That I didn't do anything to screw it all up again.

When I fell short of air, I stopped to refill my lungs with loud gasps and look around the place. The sidewalk was wide but it didn't contain a blonde girl. It didn't contain anyone for that matter. The streets were almost empty and I started getting even more worried. What if she wasn't answering the phone because she was kidnapped?

I shook my head to beg myself to stop, but my body froze when I heard something rustle from behind me. I gathered up every last ounce of my courage and turned around swiftly, ready for anything. The streets here held nothing more than small family homes so there were no gangs or anything of the sort. I could see the shadow of something from the back of the house I was standing next to. I exhaled loudly, ready to go around it and face whatever it was out there. If Lucy was in some sort of trouble, I would never forgive myself.

I ran around the corner of the house with my eyes wide and my fists ready. And yet I actually screamed when a dog started barking. It was some sort of bulldog, probably a pet of one of the neighboring families, but I was still scared shitless of its loud growls. Now that I knew it was just an animal, I had to take deep breaths to relax. Fucking surprise attacks.

"Are you alright?" I turned to Lucy, who was watching me from just a few feet away. "I heard the scream of a helpless little girl and came running." Her smile was the only medicine for my fears. I felt my anger melt away. I didn't deserve this. I didn't deserve her.

"Aren't you mad?" I mumbled, relaxing my tensed muscles.

"Mad? Not in particular. I just thought you needed some space and went to get this," she raised the paper McDonald's bag she'd been holding, "because I thought you might get hungry after a fiasco like that."

"You didn't answer my calls."

"My phone is in the house."

I begged my eyes not to water and my mouth not to scream. She smiled again, even though I didn't deserve it, and turned back towards the way home, "Come on," she gestured me with her hand, "Let's go."

* * *

We ate in comfortable silence, basking in the glory of not arguing like I thought we would be. I was just glad that she was safe and sound, secluded in the sanctuary of my house. She didn't notice that I'd been staring at her the entire time we were eating, and I was grateful for that.

When we finished, I even helped her out with the dishes just to show her that I wasn't planning on using her as a maid like I said I would in the first place. I'd gotten so used to having her around that I almost forgot I should be doing some of the housework as well, and not just pin it all on her. So I helped her with her daily chores and we had a normal conversation during the entire time.

We got pretty tired from the whole thing, and it was already pretty late, so we decided to go to bed and sleep. I bid her goodnight and watched as she made for the door. Her steps were small but certain, and her hips swayed with every movement. Watching her back was something I'd grown accustomed to doing. It felt as if I would freak out if another day went by and I didn't see her. I didn't even know how to explain what that meant. The only thing I knew for sure was the fact that I needed her more than I was aware of and she had absolutely no clue about any of that.

I didn't care about the picture I saw even though I was so fucking curious about it. I didn't care about the fact that she used to be really close to my best friend. I didn't care about the fact that she saw me the way nobody else had before. I only cared about her being as close to me as possible.

She'd changed my life in ways I never thought possible, and nothing had ever made me happier. I'd slept with so many girls and had too many flings, and yet I felt like I still knew nothing about the ways of a human heart when I took a look at her. Like every bit of experience I have is meaningless and useless when compared to her. Like every skill and every good characteristic I have is completely drowned out by the perfection evaporating from her.

I just wanted to know more about her. About the enigma that is Lucy. About her likes and dislikes, her favorite movies and the type of music she listens to. I want to know what she thinks of the world, what she thinks of politics, what she thinks of life, what she thinks of me. I want to know every big and little thing that ever happens in her life and I'd never felt that way before.

My soul filled up with some melancholic warmth as my eyes lingered on her retreating figure.

"Lucy," I said, and she had to turn around. She wasn't used to me calling her name and the confusion in her eyes was evident. Her light steps returned towards the living room, and she leaned against the doorframe. I fished for words inside my head. I clearly wasn't thinking when I called out her name like that on impulse. "Remember when we talked about regrets yesterday?"

She felt it as well as I did that this would be another long conversation, so she entered the room and closed the door after her. I watched her stroll over and sit down on the couch. I just noticed that she'd changed, probably while I was in the bathroom earlier. She wore silk gray shorts, and a t-shirt with enough cleavage to last me a lifetime. I yanked on the collar of my shirt, feeling the warmth in the air rise a bit now that she was sitting half a meter away from me, on the same fucking sofa.

"What about regrets?" She asked, her voice soft and innocent, but laced with that mystery she seemed to always drag around with her. Like there was something more than what met the eye.

"Well, I think I might regret if I don't go meet my parents." I said, and she showed me a sympathetic smile.

"You might. I mean, you have no idea what these people are like or why they did what they did." Her fingers toyed with her hair, " I asked Wendy to repeat their names earlier, and I wrote them down on the paper napkin with my lip-gloss."

I mumbled some sort of thank you even though I already remembered their names by heart. "I'm planning on visiting them next week. When the whole thing at Fairy Tail is over, and after I visit my mother this Sunday in the hospital." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, "I think she has a right to know I'm going to see them. She's the one that raised me after all. She's probably the only woman on this planet I could really call 'mom'."

Lucy nodded in understanding, and I felt a bit relieved to finally talk about my future plans. As long as she as there, there was nothing I couldn't accomplish.

"Anyway," I cleared my throat, gaining her attention, "While we're still on this topic, I think I'll regret something else as well." Her brow lifted in confusion, "I'd regret it if I didn't ask you the things I want to know."

Her full lips stretched out in a minimalistic smile I may had even imagined, "Then ask."

I had to look away from her because it was just too embarrassing, "Is there someone you like?"

Even though I wasn't looking at her I could still tell she was surprised by the question. At first, she didn't say a word and the silence started scaring me. I didn't even know if she understood what I was asking, but the little giggle I heard proved me right.

"Right now, I don't really think so."

While I was a bit disappointed she didn't like me, I was also glad she didn't like anyone else either. That would've killed me right away.

Since it seemed like she was finally open to questions, I decided to ease my way into the ones I'd always been curious about.

"But you've liked others in the past, right?" She nodded, "Do they still mean anything to you?"

She opened her mouth but closed it almost immediately. It felt like she was surprised I'd gone down that road. Like she was expecting me to give out information I wouldn't normally know. And she was right.

"Are you still connected to them somehow? Do you still treasure your memories and…" I grasped for words, "Do you still keep something to remember them by?"

She was so skeptical of me I could almost feel it in the air.

"And what about your past? You said that nothing interesting ever happened, but I don't care. You can talk to me about the uninteresting parts too. Like for instance, what made you cry the other day?"

Her eyes got a chilly look I'd never seen before, and the time she yelled at me in the nurse's office came back to my memories like a flash, reminding me of just how vicious she could be if she wanted to. Her voice was slow and calculating, slicing the air between us, "Don't beat around the bush. Ask me what you want to know."

"I want to know what happened," I said without a moment of thought. "I want to know what makes me feel like crying when I look at you." I straightened up, "I want to know what I see in your eyes that makes me want to look away. Why I can't hold your gaze but you can hold mine. I want to know why I feel like I want to put you in a small box and keep you safe forever." I stared at my hands, "I want to know—no, I need to know what happened to you."

She stared at me like I'd just recited a poem with half the words mixed up. Like I'd answered 5 to "how much is 2 plus 2". She was disappointed. I could see it in her eyes, but I had no idea why.

"I knew you'd eventually ask around about my past," she started, and I felt a lump in my throat, "I was just hoping you wouldn't." A melodramatic smile crossed her features, a light contrast to the seriousness on her face, "Because I don't want anyone to know the kind of person I am."

And as though we'd been playing cards and she was ready to throw, she pulled out the picture and let it fall down on the couch, in the small space between us. My breathing fell short. It was the exact same one I'd found under her mattress when I was snooping around her room. The mysteries around it were finally going to be cleared up, and I took a deep breath because I just knew they wouldn't be pretty.

On it I could see a man, roughly my age, maybe a year older, smiling at the camera as he's taking a selfie. His hair is a dark blond, falling across the surface behind him. He's holding the camera – or the phone he's taking the picture with – in his left hand, and his right hand is forming a peace sign, holding two fingers up. He's naked. Well, at least he's not wearing a shirt, but the photograph ends at the beginning of his waist so I can't see if he has any pants on or not. His eyes are closed and his teeth are showing from the wide grin he has plastered on his face. So that was the man Lucy loved. But for all I knew, he could be her brother because they sort of had the same hair.

I cringed when I saw the background just like I did last time. He was laying on top of some girl's stomach. I couldn't see what the girl was wearing on the bottom part of the body—if she even was wearing anything—because the picture didn't show the rest of her body. But I could very well see her breasts. She wasn't wearing a shirt or a bra or anything. She was completely topless. I couldn't see her face either, but I really didn't care who it was. Her breasts were sort of small, but I didn't complain because I didn't need to see anyone's naked body except the girl sitting right across from me. She was a bit chubby too, the girl in the picture, I mean.

Both of them were laying on a bed with purple covers on it, and that was all I could see. The picture was conveniently positioned so I couldn't make out the girl's identity, or if they actually had any sort of clothing on below their waist. I exhaled loudly, still wondering what this had to do with any of it.

"That's my ex boyfriend." She said, her finger pointing towards the guy. The air in my lungs felt like it got sucked out by some mysterious force. I tried remaining calm and collected but the confusion was probably evident on my face. She stared at me waiting for some sort of reaction, but when I said nothing, she had to look down at the picture again and sigh. I guessed this wasn't her favorite topic of conversation.

"And that is me." Her finger moved towards the girl he was resting his head on.

My mouth was suddenly dry and I had to get up with some lame excuse to get a glass of water. Once I was safely in the kitchen, I closed the door shut and slid down its surface. Once seated on the ground, I started breathing again, and almost blacked out. I'd somehow always known it might've been her, but I hid behind the fact that the girl was too chubby and her breasts were small. But people grow up and change.

So this was what Gray had been talking about. Lucy wasn't a virgin. And once more, she might even have a video if she already has a photo. I made my aching body get up and fill a glass up with tap water, before standing and staring at the sink as though it would give me the answers I seek. I downed the glass in two seconds, and even splashed some water on my face before going back. My mind was running wild and my brain was jumping hoops.

I said nothing as I positioned myself on the same spot on the couch. She looked like she hadn't moved a muscle.

"Loke and I dated for a few months back in my hometown. He was my first serious boyfriend and I trusted him every last fiber of my being. I loved him." Something stabbed me in the heart, and I covered my chest with my hand, "He was the perfect boyfriend and even my parents were fond of him. He always brought me back home before my curfew and we talked on the phone for hours. He had been my childhood crush so I was the happiest girl alive when he asked me out."

I had to look away from her.

"He never pressured me into doing anything, and we just kissed and stuff like that."

Anger boiled up in my stomach.

"I thought he was the love of my life and I was blinded by it. I refused to see the things revolving around us." She sighed, "He'd always been a player. He had multiple girlfriends and countless one night stands, but I thought it would be different. I made the mistake every woman makes at some point in her life, when she thinks, 'I'll change him. It will be different with me'." She stared at me straight in the eyes, "It wasn't."

The room fell silent, the only sound being my loud and unnerving heartbeat which I only prayed she wouldn't hear. I looked around as if seeing my living room for the first time, and after I'd almost forgotten it was still her turn to speak, she continued.

"He was still an amazing boyfriend, though. He took me shopping and even cooked for me in his house, so I felt like everything was fine and I could do anything with this person. I felt like I wouldn't regret doing a single thing with him." She closed her eyes, the burden of her words a tough baggage to carry, "That was when he started talking about sex."

My own eyes closed as I tried to block away the rest of the story. I already knew where this was going and I wasn't ready to hear it. I didn't think I ever would be ready for something like that. If it were any other girl it would be completely fine, but not her. I couldn't stand hearing that about her. In the spur of the moment I finally realized why. I realized why she'd been so popular in my dreams at night and why I felt attracted to her and why any other girl fell back behind. And though I wasn't ready to use the word 'love', I still knew I felt it. For the very first time. And I found that out while sitting on my couch at one AM and listening to the object of my feelings talk about her first time with some dude.

Some realizations come later than they should and this was most definitely one of them. But I guessed I deserve something like that. I'd been the worst person alive towards her from the very first day of our meeting, and this was only fair.

The thought of me loving this girl was stronger than anything and it blocked out everything else entirely. I stared down at our feet, tangled in a mess on the couch, and thought about just how strongly I felt for her. She was right here, pouring out her heart and soul and I was in love with her. She was talking to me about having sex with some other guy and I was in love with her. She was there and she was beautiful and she was holding that cursed picture and I was in love with her. Maybe she was still in love with her ex and I was in love with her.

I'd been caught in her web ever since the say I met her and I hadn't even realized that. The wish to go into the nurse's office was just because of her and I knew that somewhere deep inside of me. I'd hated every repulsing touch from other females because I wished it was her. I wished she was the one I got to touch and she was the one I got to hug and she was the one I got to kiss. I'd been an obnoxious jerk when I should've begged her on my hands and knees since day one. I should've begged her to be mine.

Lie down in the middle of the cafeteria, apologize and beg her to be the one by my side. Go into the nurse's office and plead her to love me. Plead her to forgive me.

"And so," her voice brought me back into our universe, "I started seriously thinking about it. We'd kissed and uh," she lowered her voice, "touched here and there, so I didn't think it would be much of a big deal for me. But I was fifteen at the time. It was horrifying." At this point, talking seemed like a difficult task for her, "But I didn't want to disappoint him. I was a stupid gullible teenage girl driven by her pathetic puppy love for some guy she liked in the third grade." I could almost hear the regret in her voice. "So we started hanging out at his place a lot more than we used to. I wanted to get used to the feeling of being at a guy's room before actually doing the deed." She moved a strand of her blonde hair, tucking it behind her ear as she spoke, "But I didn't."

A ghost of a hand gripped my heart.

"I fell asleep at his place during one of the times I stayed over to watch a movie. I'd gotten so used to having him around and my trust in him was bigger than ever, so I didn't feel vulnerable at all and fell asleep just like I would at home." She fingered the picture in her hand, twirling it around, "Needless to say I didn't expect he would take my clothes off and take this picture." She showed it to me again, even though the last thing I wanted to do was see it. "He may have even put something in my drink for all I know."

"This is a cropped out version though. He has a full picture where you can see my head. But he didn't take my skirt off or anything, so it was just for fun, as he said." She breathed loudly, "I woke up some time later, fully clothed, and went back home. A few days after that, I got a message from one of my friends asking me if I'd done it with Loke. I denied. And then she sent me the picture, saying that he'd sent it to his best friend, which she was going out with during those times." I could guess what was coming, "We were first year in high school, and it was a small town, so the picture spread like wildfire. When I confronted him about it, he said his friend had found the phone and he sent it to himself. I didn't believe him. We argued for a bit in front of his house and he invited me in to call his friend as well and have it all solved."

She smiled. A small, sad, chilling smile that made my blood stop flowing, "And that's my biggest regret. Going into his house that evening. He yelled at me and I yelled back and we got into a huge fight. His parents weren't home so they couldn't hear us screaming. And they couldn't hear him slap me and push me down on his bed and…" A single tear rolled down her cheek.

I was livid. I'd never been more angry in my whole life. I was considering leaving her here and going to hunt down the guy when she started talking again.

"But I got away though. He'd already pulled down my panties when the doorbell rang and his friend noticed the door was open. By the time he managed to enter Loke's bedroom he'd already let go of me and I'd managed to pull my underwear back up but I still looked disheveled. My hair was a mess and my shirt was unbuttoned. His friend didn't know it, but he'd just saved me from being raped."

My skin was itching and my heart was pounding.

"But you can imagine what it looked like to his friend. It looked like we'd been having sex and he told half the school the other day. The pictures were everywhere. Anyone could clearly see my face on it, but at least they had the decency to crop it out when they sent the pictures to my house. So my parents never saw it, but I still have the feeling that they know. You can't hide a story like that in such a small town." She took a break for a few seconds, "Gray had left town to go to high school here so I was left with zero friends. My girl friends thought I was a slut and stopped hanging out with me. It was a real pain in the ass. And it happened just a few days before I turned sixteen." She smiled again, "What a sweet sixteen that was."

During the entire time I managed to say nothing.

"A year later, it was still a hit. Guys would try to hit on me and get me to go to bed with them, and they'd get angry when I refused. Loke raised the roof of the whole thing and then had the nerve to move out and go to another town. I hadn't seen him since." The irony in her voice faded, "My mother had contacted Gray without me knowing and told him that there might've been something going on because I looked 'weird'. So one night when I was crying in my room like the pathetic person I was, he entered without knocking, holding a dozen copies of that picture in his hands. I started crying even louder and he just hugged me and said nothing. He stayed with me until I fell asleep, and even packed everything I owned in my bags. When I woke up the next morning, he told me we were going to Magnolia. So I got accepted in your high school because of my grades and stuff, and got to live in the dorms."

My appreciation for Gray grew even more, though I was still a bit jealous even at a time like this.

"It turns out the second he came back to our hometown his mailbox got a lot of copies of the picture. He never asked if I did it, and I never explained that I didn't. We both sort of knew and it was alright." She finally wiped away the tear, her face back to normal again.

I finally managed to unplug my throat and choke out a few words, "Is that why you didn't try to have friends here?"

"I didn't see the point in having them if they turned their back on me so easily." She said, "And I didn't even think of having a boyfriend after that. I guess that's why I hated you so much. You reminded me of him"

I swallowed a lump in my throat, "I'm sorry."

"None of this is your fault. But hey, you were the last person I thought would help me in a time of need and you did." Her voice was soft and honest, "You came through for me when I needed it and here I am. In your house. I was really scared at first, because of everything that happened, but I got used to you. Thanks."

Moments of sanity filled the room as I finally understood why she wasn't as phased as I thought she would be when that teacher came on to her. And that was why she didn't like revealing her body because she probably felt like she was walking around naked if she didn't wear oversized clothing. That was why she didn't even try to have any friends and liked being alone in the nurse's office. Only one thing didn't add up.

"Why do you still keep that picture with you?" I asked.

She was s little reluctant at first, but she still answered, "To be honest, I didn't. it came in the mail while I was still living in the dorms. I know I said I wanted to leave because I had a fight with my roommate, but this was the real reason behind all of it."

I remembered her roommate, the one I used to sleep with.

"So someone mailed it to you?" The bigger concern arose.

"Yes. But the cut-out version they sent my parents. Not the full image where you can see my head." And a if she suddenly realized she was flaunting a picture of her naked body in front of my eyes, she blushed and slid it under her legs, to hide it. "So I wanted to leave sooner in case they send the full one."

"And that's why you're here." I finished for her, a conflict of emotions in my head. I was glad she was here but I wanted her to be here for the sole purpose of wanting to spend time with me. Not just because she had no other option and no other place to go to.

"Well to be honest," her fingers traced the outline of the couch, "In the beginning I desperately searched for a new place to stay. I combed through every rental apartment and any motel I could stay in. But they were either full or the price was too high or it was a long way away from our school. So I stayed here even though I didn't want to." She said, and it was news to me. I had no idea she had been trying so hard to leave. "But a while ago, I kind of stopped caring about it. I'm having fun here and the school's not far and you're being nicer to me." A small smile graced her lips and my worry melted away. I might still have a chance. I might still have a way to make this right.

Everything she told me in the past hour circulated in my brain. She was almost raped, laughed at, played, and ridiculed by that Loke person and I was not there to stop him. But I was here now. And I would find him and hunt him down no matter which part of the planet he chose to hide in. He made her feel bad for more than two years of her life and I wasn't going to just stand by and watch him do it again. Even though he might not be the one who sent her that picture a month ago, he was still the one who took it. And there was no better place to start then to beat the crap out of him.

"So you don't know where your ex is right now, and you don't know if he's the one who sent you the picture in your dorm?" I asked, and she nodded.

"I'm just afraid whoever sent it might send it here too."

The fear in her eyes made me want to rip up my heart and give it to her. She wasn't supposed to be scared when I was around and I wanted to prove it to her. I just didn't know how. She would never trust me enough to even kiss me, let alone let me protect her. But now I at least knew the answer. I knew that she wouldn't kiss me because she had bad memories of it. I wasn't the only problem. I just wished I had a time machine so I could go back and tell past me to stop whoring around and just wait to meet her. Wait to meet Lucy.

Something inside of me snapped and I felt like she needed to be comforted. She needed to know that she wasn't anyone's toy anymore and that I would always be there for her no matter the cost. I just wanted to change the topic and have her relax, and for the first time, have her feel at home.

"Speaking of regrets," I started, trying to steer the conversation into a more cheerful road, "what is something you've done that you know you will _never_ regret?"

She thought about it for a moment, laying her head against the headrest of the sofa. Her lips melted into a smile and I had to grip the cushions tighter to keep myself from doing anything. "I guess the time I left town. It took me a lot of courage but here am I now and I've never been better."

I tried not looking at the way her bare legs rested on the sofa, her right foot barely touching my left thigh. Her magnetism was pulling me closer than ever. Even at a time like this. Even when I just learned everything about her. But maybe that was what made me like her even more. The fact that she was pure and in need of me. I inched closer, and she moved to make more room for me. Soon I found myself seated between her thighs, her legs on both sides of my body, her torso within reach. I mumbled some sort of excuse about wanting to reach the remote control on the table behind her, and used it to pin both my hands at her sides, moving my head right in front of hers. Her breathing mixed with mine as I stretched out trying to reach the contraption, the full view of her cleavage at my disposal.

The tv remote really _was_ on the table behind her, and I really _did_ want to turn the tv on; or that's what I told myself, at least.

She was breathing slowly, her chest rising and falling at every exchange of air. My legs touched hers and every part of me burned. As I pushed my body forward to make my final grab for the remote, I felt my chest brush against her own, and froze.

She seemed to notice the extremely fast beating of my heart, and tried talking again, "What about you?" Her words tickled my chin, "What's the one thing you'll never regret doing?"

My hand stopped trying to reach the damned remote and instead positioned itself on her cheek. I stared into her eyes letting each of her inner demons meet mine, hearing every single one of her prayers, and feeling every single one of her emotions. She was so warm I could be on the north pole right now and I wouldn't be cold. I was less than an inch away from her.

"This."

I lightly pressed my lips to the side of her neck, kissing the spot as slowly as if I'd never touched it at all. She didn't react, so I kept going. I kissed it again and again, making sure to press down with my lips more each time. Her skin felt like silk beneath mine, and I noticed my hands moving to hold her down by the waist.

My kisses trailed towards her cheek, glazing the top of her chin, until I finally pulled back to take a look at her expression.

She was surprised, but not as much as I'd expected her to be.

And finally, after ten thousand wars and ten million battles, after countless fantasies and daydreams, after everything we've been through, I found the courage. I let my lips touch hers.

My eyes closed instantaneously, and I hoped hers did as well. I didn't dare move any further, testing the waters. When she didn't push me away, I felt my mouth open a bit, cupping her lower lip between mine, and I almost cried.

She was so soft, so fragile. It was like no other girl I've ever kissed before.

My mouth moved against her own, and she retuned my motion. The slow rhythm sped up until I felt confident enough to try and go deeper.

She didn't open her mouth so I had to gently bite her lips and _make her._

A small grunt escaped her throat and I clutched her waist to try and keep myself under control and not go all wild-animal on her.

Her tongue was soft against mine and I actually thought I might start screaming. This was actually happening. I wasn't dreaming. It was the real world.

And even though she hadn't moved a single inch this entire time, her hands suddenly trailed up my shirt, stopping at my shoulders, and she pulled me closer.

Any sort of control I had was gone in an instant.

I gripped her waist tighter, forcing my body to lie on top of her, but still making sure I was supporting myself so I don't crush her.

The kiss was broken for a moment as I focused on her neck again. This time I allowed myself a clean lick before I kissed it. Her skin tasted all kinds of right.

My hands transferred to her thighs, digging my fingers inside the skin as far as I could before she felt any pain. I would never hurt her. Even right now, when it took everything in me not to go any further and make mistakes I would regret, I still didn't even think of inflicting any sort of pain no matter how right I could make it feel for her.

I kissed her again. My lips grazing hers and my hormones going wild. This wasn't just some steamy make out session with some girl in the back of a bar, this was real. This was a fairy tale. This was the one and only time I wished I could keep a girl forever. This was the one time I actually wanted to have a girlfriend. To be in a relationship, to have someone with me. To have _her_ with me.

"Sorry." I whispered when she finally pulled her head back, "Making out on the sofa was not what I wanted our first kiss to be like."

She giggled, "You had plans about kissing me?"

"I kind of wanted to do it when I took you to Hargeon yesterday, but that didn't work out." I scratched the back of my neck, "Now that I think about it, I always kind of wanted to kiss you but I didn't want it to be like this." I moved to sit up straight, basically on top of her, "I couldn't control myself. Sorry."

She positioned herself so she was more comfortable, and smiled. "It's alright."

"But you don't feel anything for me," I said.

"Do you?"

Because I couldn't gather the courage to say it, I just blushed and nodded like a little kid. Her laughing only made me redden even more.

I wanted to stop talking and just kiss her again until morning, but I didn't want to overdo it and make her hate everything. This was enough for now. I didn't want to force myself onto her and be another one of her regrets.

Instead I actually _took_ the remote this time and put on some sort of movie for us to watch. She let me put my head in the crevice of her neck, and we both lied down to watch whatever movie I randomly played.

I was in my own little haven, entangled in the arms of the girl of my dreams, and basked in the pleasure of having tasted her lips. I snuggled as close to her as humanly possible, and let out a sigh of content.

"Lucy," I said, her name leaving a sweet scent in my mouth, something I'd always wanted to say, "One of these days, I will track down that ex of yours and kill him if I have to."

Her giggles were light and honest, "Oh yes, Natsu Dragneel, talk dirty to me."

* * *

 **A/N: First of all, this thing is huge. It took me a while to write and edit all of it since its nearly 9000 words long. I hope it's good enough to make up for lost time.**

 **Second of all, i named Natsu's mother Annice because it was literally the first thing my fingers typed when i was doing that part of the chapter. I don't know her real name because it wasn't disclosed in the manga, so Annice it is. (we all know igneel tho)**

 **Third of all, THEY KISSED EVERYBODY! they finally kissed! AFTER SO LONG!**

 **side note: sorry for making loke the bad guy but he was the only one i could think of. (i love loke tho T_T this was hard for me)**

 **eheheheheheheheheehe i'm sort of proud of this chapter**

 **thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who wished me a good vacation. It was great Just what i needed to recharge my batteries.**

 **Hope I see you soon next week!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!  
(thanks to the reviewers who said they liked my slogan)


	19. The Truth: A Fairy Tail Confession

**I am sick so I haven't finished the new chapter. I'll try to get it done by _tomorrow_. In the meantime,  if someone is interested, I decided to post this. I wrote it a while back.**

* * *

 **The truth: A Fairy Tail confession**

* * *

Six or seven years ago, little me was searching for episodes of the old ninja turtles on the internet. I stumbled upon a site that had all the episodes uploaded, and I wasted no time in watching the ones I didn't have on my DVD. Every day I would turn the computer on and go to that website. And every day I'd see a _"top shows"_ tab. I checked it one day just out of curiosity, and the "cartoon" **Fairy Tail** was on top. For the next few weeks, or maybe even a month or two, I'd check the list and Fairy Tail would always be on top, only the shows beneath it would change order, because the site updated them regularly.

So—as with everything else that happens in my life, ever—I was skeptical. I rolled my eyes and thought that it must be some stupid mainstream show that I would hate. I didn't give it a chance.

And then one day, when I'd watched all the other cartoons I'd been wanting to see, I opened the "top shows" tab to find something new. And I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that the "Fairy Tail" thing was still on the top. The faces of Natsu, Lucy, Gray and Erza smiled at me from the cover image, and I clicked it in fury. I didn't even read the description or check it on google, I was too enraged to see that it was still popular.

And I feel like crying when I remember that today because Fairy Tail hasn't been close to the number one spot _for years_ on that site now. If only I'd known.

I watched the first episode. It was the dubbed version. Back then, I'd heard of anime because I'd been watching Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z and others like that since the day I was born, but I'd never really been interested enough to find out the difference between anime and cartoons. After I finished the first episode, I went on the next one _right that very second._ And the next, and the next. I watched around  10 episodes that night.

Only when I was done with them did I realize that there was a _huge_ difference from my daily cartoons to what I'd just seen. **Fairy Tail was a fucking religion.**

Once I'd seen all the dubbed episodes that were out that time, I made an account for the chatbox that was on the site to ask the people if they knew anything about the show. People answered, and gave me a link to a chatroom dedicated to fairy tail. That's how I met a lot of people online, found out why anime was different from cartoons, and found out about 'subbed' and 'dubbed' versions. I was shocked to see that there were new episodes that I hadn't watched simply because they were in the subbed version. I found out that other anime existed and that there were sites dedicated to them.

My thirst for Fairy Tail grew even stronger. I watched all the episodes, and waited in agony for more. After a year or two, I discovered 'manga'. Needless to say I jumped right into Fairy Tail and read the whole thing.

When I think about it now, I hated that show right from the very beginning without even watching it, just because I _thought_ it would be  mainstream and stupid. But it changed my life entirely. It got me into anime. I watched Kobato, Angel Beats, Clannad, Special A, and I was starting to get the hang of it.

Fast forward to where we are now. With more than 200 anime watched, more than 300 manga read, two tumblrs dedicated to anime, merchandise from the shows I like, and even fanfiction. I found out about fanfics even before Fairy Tail, back when my OTP was Misty and Ash from Pokemon. I'd read a few stories on the site, but that was it.

 **Fairy Tail was the only thing that could ever make me write.**

I was known for writing well in my native language and I'd gotten tons of awards before I even started high school. But fanfiction had been a totally new and different experience. Thank you all for helping me see that.

So you could imagine my sadness when I found out that **fairy tail was ending.** I cried. And I cried even more when I woke up one day with a notification that the **last chapter** from fairy tail was out. It had been my dream. It had been my safe zone from all the shit in life. I used it as an escape route whenever something I couldn't handle happened.

And no matter which anime I watched, I _always_ came back to Fairy Tail.

So I am proud to say that no, **I haven't read the last chapter,** and I _avoid spoilers like the plague._ I didn't read it because it would mean that the story that has kept me strong through the years is now finished and there's nothing I can do about it.

That is why I have decided to read the whole manga again from the very first chapter—even though I've read it more than 7 times already—and relive every single adventure before I read the ending. So that is why I jump the next sentence in a review whenever I see "in chapter 545". That's why I scroll through every fairy tail post on tumblr. That's why I refuse to spoil myself. I just want to walk the road at my own pace.

I'm scared because I know that after I finish this fanfiction, I will have **nothing.** This marks the end of my journey as a writer because I only care about writing stories for Natsu and Lucy. Nobody else.

I'm not yet ready to know if fairies have tails.

And I hope you respect my wishes.

* * *

with keys, though flames! aye!


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: WHO IS A CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT!? I AM A CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT!**

* * *

 **19**

 **Support**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _I was in my own little haven, entangled in the arms of the girl of my dreams, and basked in the pleasure of having tasted her lips. I snuggled as close to her as humanly possible, and let out a sigh of content._  
 _"Lucy," I said, her name leaving a sweet scent in my mouth, something I'd always wanted to say, "One of these days, I will track down that ex of yours and kill him if I have to."_  
 _Her giggles were light and honest, "Oh yes, Natsu Dragneel, talk dirty to me."_

* * *

Chapter dedicated to **I want fangs**

* * *

If not for the buzzing in my pocket, I would've probably continued sleeping. My eyes forced themselves to open and chase away the amazing dream I was having of being in Lucy's arms after kissing her.

I scanned my surroundings, almost falling off the bed when I noticed that it _hadn't_ been a dream after all! I _was_ on the sofa, entangled in the embrace of the girl I'd been unconsciously chasing for the past month. Her quiet breathing filled the atmosphere with a sense of security I'd never felt before. She looked as peaceful as I'd ever seen her, and I moved my hand to gently caress her cheek with my thumb.

She didn't stir.

Even though I knew it was a hell of a risky move, I slowly kissed her lips to prove to myself that she was real and I wasn't dreaming. The sudden touch on her mouth resulted in her mumbling something I couldn't really understand. She shifted her position a bit, and waved her hands around until she finally grasped my arm and pulled me closer.

She was lucky she was sleeping, or I would've attacked her.

I felt bad for having her sleep on the sofa, so I managed to untangle myself from her grasp and scoop her up into my arms. She was a light weight and I couldn't feel my muscles hurt at all. I tried to be as quiet as possible, and yet still managed to step on various objects while walking and produce multiple sounds. But she was still sound asleep.

I almost screamed out of happiness when I set her down on my bed, because this was something I'd only dreamed of doing. Something that I never thought would actually happen. And even though we weren't doing any of the things I wanted to do to her in this very room, I was still tremendously happy. I closed the door even though we had all the privacy we needed-this being my house and all that-and lied down next to her.

I watched her chest rise and fall with every intake and release of air, and her eyelids flutter lightly depending on the course of her dream. I'd been doing that for quite a while before I remembered that I'd been woken up by my phone.

I pulled the device out of my pocket and adjusted the brightness so I wouldn't go blind. I had received a text message from none other than Gray. Only then did I notice the time and the date.

It was 2:47AM, meaning that it was already Saturday, meaning that while I was with Lucy, I was supposed to have been at Fairy Tail.

It may have been my only chance to reconcile with my friends and see what went wrong. We could've become pals again. I could've mended the broken ties and strengthened our bonds. And instead I'd been with Lucy.

We'd been making out on the couch and she'd told me her entire life story. But even though I lost the only chance I had at getting my friends back, I didn't want to trade it for what I'd gotten instead.

I opened the text.

 _Dude, we're leaving soon. Are you coming or what?_

So they were still there even at that time of night. I mean, _I_ would've stayed as well.

 _Nope. I'm home._

I sent the text and set my phone back in my pocket, but it vibrated almost instantly.

 _We're planning on going at Gajeel's. Come over._

Another message followed just a second after that.

 _Party till the daylight!_

I stared at the screen in silence, the whiteness that flashed from it being the only source of light save for the streetlights outside. Lucy started stirring as she stretched, turning over to lie on her stomach. She inched closer to me, and opened her eyes. Phone still in hand, I didn't even have time to react when she started talking.

"Is something the matter?" her voice was dripping residue sleep as she stared at me with her eyes half closed.

I focused my attention back towards the phone. I typed a quick reply and sent it to Gray. My phone found itself back in my pocket, and it didn't vibrate again.

 _No thanks. Have fun._

"No," I said, looking back in her direction, "Everything's fine." And before she could protest, or even notice that she was in my bedroom, I pulled her into my arms, laying her head onto my chest. I kissed the top of her head, a gesture I'd never done before. Her hand gripped the material of my shirt as an insurance policy that I would stay there.

I held her and she melted into my arms. I would miss any night out drinking if it meant I'd get to spend it like this.

* * *

It was the first morning I ever woke up well rested. I marveled at the fact that I didn't feel like I'd been ran over by a bus, and got off the bed easily. Memories of last night flooded into my head, making the corners of my mouth stretch out into a smile.

I hummed some tune of a song I probably heard on the radio, when I noticed the smell of steak filling the house. Dashing for the kitchen, I felt blessed to see her standing over the stove and cooking food.

"Steak for breakfast?" I asked, and she turned around on a whim, surprised by my sudden appearance.

"We had cereal for breakfast," she smiled, shaking her head slightly, "or at least _I_ did. You were sleeping so soundly I felt bad to wake you up."

I glanced at the clock above the door, surprised to see it was already 2:26PM. I'd slept for quite a while.

I walked on over to her, watching as she turned the stove off and settled the stake onto a plate. Even though I was hungry, I didn't even spare a single glance toward the food.

I set both my hands on the counter, trapping her in between.

"Why do I have the feeling that this has happened before?" she joked, turning around to face me.

I grinned lightly, inching closer as my forehead touched hers. Her breath mixed with mine and I could smell lime-flavored toothpaste. I grabbed her by the waist, lifting her up and setting her on the counter. She could only smile as I pulled her closer and tasted her lips. I was trying hard not to go overboard, but having her in my arms was just _asking_ me to go wild.

Lucy didn't protest at all and kissed me back.

It felt a bit awkward at first, being able to stroll in so casually and kiss her like that. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I was so happy to finally have her in my arms that I would do anything to keep it that way. She broke off the kiss and offered me a plate, before sitting down to eat a bit herself.

I didn't even get to try the damn thing before I heard the ringing of my phone back in the bedroom. I cast her an apologetic glance and went to get my cell. It was Gray. My eyes automatically rolled over in my head, since he'd been the only one calling me these past few days, or at least that's what it felt like.

As I sat down on the table and ogled the juicy steak in front of me, I answered the call.

"Hey," my voice dripped annoyance, but I doubt he'd catch that.

" _Yo Natsu, what's up_?" Gray's voice was as chipper as ever.

"I'm eating." I said, hoping he'd get the picture and leave me alone with my food.

" _Oh cool, anyways, we had such an amazing time last night so we decided to do it again tonight. You in?"_

I looked towards Lucy, and she cast me a questioning look. I was really hoping I would be able to spend the night with her watching movies or something, but I also got a second chance at going out with the people who were once my friends. I decided not to waste this opportunity, but I still wanted to bring her along.

"Can I bring a friend?" I asked, a small smile stretching up my lips. Lucy looked up from her food at stared at me in confusion once again, but I just waved it off with my hand.

" _Yeah dude, no problem."_ Came his reply. " _Bring over whoever you want. No… wait. I lied. Bring anyone that's not Sting. I can't stand the guy."_

"Nah," my eyes travelled back to Lucy, "Didn't even cross my mind."

We said our goodbyes after he told me the time and the place, and I hung up. It was Saturday, so I didn't really have anything to do except enjoy my day with my… hold the fuck up.

We hugged. We talked. We kissed. But what hell did all of that mean? What the fuck even were we? Friends with benefits? Lovers? Occasionally-kiss amigos? FUCK BUDDIES?

My jaw dropped at the realization that I had absolutely _no idea_ about the entire situation, and how I'd somehow managed to let it slide up until now. Thinking back, I never asked her to be my girlfriend or anything. I just did my thing and she did hers and we ended up with our tongues in each other's mouths. Sure, it was hot and all, but that wasn't what I was looking for.

My mind stopped.

What _was_ I looking for?

"Important phone call?" She asked out of the blue, and I had to pinch myself to remind me I'm in the physical world, and not in some crazy labyrinth of my inner thoughts.

"Um, no it was just Gray." I started, cutting a piece of the food, "I totally forgot the get-together with my friends yesterday." I had to pause for a bit to enjoy the richness of the flavor as I chewed the piece of meat. "So he was calling about that."

"Oh my god," Her voice had a pinch of panic mixed into it, "I forgot about that as well! And I even kept you home with my boring life story and all that. I'm really sorry!"

"It's not boring and you didn't keep me here against my will," I smiled to try and calm her, "It just slipped my mind is all." She seemed a bit more at ease now, "And besides, he just said they were going out tonight as well. So we're going too."

She leaned her head to the side in a questioning manner, a gesture I'd grown to adore, " _We?"_

"Yes. _We._ Because _we_ are both going." I said, my voice sounding as though it was an order. And it sort of was. Because I really wanted her there. I needed someone to be my moral support as I strive to make normal conversation with people I haven't talked to in half a year or so. And there was no way I would be able to achieve that without her being next to me. "There's no way you're getting out of this."

She rolled her eyes, "if you say so."

* * *

I tried concentrating on playing my game but she was just so fucking _distracting._ She wore a really, _really_ long and baggy black t-shirt on her. And that was literally the only article of clothing visible on her. I mean, she probably has underwear on and a bra or whatever, but she had no pants. Or even shorts for that matter. And as though it was the most normal thing in the world, she read her book in silence, sitting quietly in my armchair.

I had to beg my eyes to look away for the hundredth time that afternoon, and faced the tv screen. I was playing some random play station game but everything she did, every small movement she made didn't go unnoticed and it made me look away from that game in mere seconds. It felt like she was doing this on purpose. Just sitting there and waiting for me to pounce and rip her apart. Like she was provoking me.

Her bare legs stretched over one of the armrests spoke volumes, and her reading face was just adorable. She was concentrating on the book like it was the last one on earth. Some book that contained the secret to eternal life or something. If only she'd look at me that way. Then I'd know. I'd know the relationship we're supposedly sharing and what it means. I'll know if it's okay to just get up and walk over to her and kiss her. I'll know if I can call her mine or not. I'll know if I can run my hands down her thighs or curl my fingers in her hair. If I can breathe her air or taste her skin. If I can pull that shirt of and just—

"You suck at that game, don't you?"

I looked back at the screen just in time to see my virtual car crash into a tree and burn into tiny pixelated flames. The screen flashed red, and "GAME OVER" blinked rapidly until I pressed 'exit'. She went back to her book and I stared at the tv for a while, watching a blank screen like a complete idiot, before I decided that my best game plan was to put on some music.

She didn't react when the song filled the room.

Her nose scrunched up a little, but that was probably because I was ruining her concentration with the tunes. Little did she know that it was my master plan all along. I wanted to make her put the damn thing down and give me an opening. An opening to attack.

But she did no such thing. Instead, she continued reading with an even bigger intensity than before, or at least that's what it seemed like to me. I sighed in defeat, knowing that there was no way to make her pay attention to me if I don't go about it directly. So I did.

"Lucy," I said, and she looked up from her book a few seconds later. She waited for me to go on, but I had nothing I wanted to say. I didn't think I'd get as far as to actually have her attention on me for a second, so I didn't think of anything good to go with. The taste of her name still lingered in my mouth like some sort of evaporating potion, and I had to smile a bit even though she seemed even more confused than when I first called out to her.

I got up and walked over to her, her eyes following me the whole time. I even took the liberty of snatching the book from her hands and setting it on the coffee table. She stared at me in waiting. Waiting for something to happen or for me to explain what the hell I was doing. But how could I explain something I didn't even know myself? "Get up," I said, and she eyed me with curiosity. "Please," I added.

That seemed to work because she was up on her feet in an instant. But not for long. I instinctively crouched down and threw her over my shoulder, not even flinching when she shrieked in surprise. A wild grin appeared on my face as I carried her to my bedroom, not stopping even as she pounded her fists on my back. But she was laughing. The house filled with her adorable laughter and I felt like this was the one sound my ears would never get tired of hearing.

The music in the living room was set to a pretty loud volume, so we could hear it perfectly clear in my bedroom. She was still laughing when I laid her down on my bed. I felt like I'd wasted my life time's worth of luck just by meeting this person, but it was worth it. Everything was worth it.

Her giggles toned down when I lied down next to her and pulled her into my arms. The mood was perfect. I had romantic music playing in the background, we were lying on a comfy bed in my own room, I had nowhere to be and nothing to do for the next couple of hours, I had an unfinished packet of condoms in the drawer on my right, and she was in my arms. Everything was in place and the movie was set in motion.

She didn't move. She was probably waiting for me do make the first move, and I did. I pulled her even closer until she was on top of me, and buried my head into the crevice of her neck. Her breathing was fast and ragged. But after a few minutes of no movement from my side, it calmed down.

Even though I wanted to kiss the hell out of her more than anything, and I was ready to go all the way if she'd let me; and even though I desired her like I'd never desired anything in my entire lifetime, she finally understood why I brought her here. Why I held onto her for dear life and I felt like I had to hold her close so as to not have her stolen away from me. Why I didn't make a single move to do anything with her, or why I didn't even kiss her at all.

I just wanted to hug.

I just wanted to have her with me and _feel_ that she was there. Feel that she was mine. Because I honestly hoped she was.

* * *

That hug-fest was short-lived though, since we needed to get ready for the whole 'meeting up with Natsu's former pals' thing. I told her that it's okay to wear whatever she wants, but I had trouble with it myself. In the end, I decided to go with my signature black jeans and red shirt. I couldn't go wrong with an outfit like that.

I filled up my wallet with cash and left the bedroom, stopping in my tracks when I noticed her. She was in a fucking miniskirt and it made me boil with rage. Her legs were visible, but the good side was probably the fact that she had a coat over the top she was wearing so you couldn't see her cleavage. I felt a bit stupid to just ask her to show me what she was wearing underneath her coat so I can tell if it's appropriate or not, but I didn't. I was interested in why she suddenly wanted to wear short skirts and stuff like that when she used to be covered head-to-toe before. It made no sense whatsoever.

Discarding my rage aside, I just nodded in her direction and we headed for the door.

The entire ride had been silent, and she could probably cut the tension with a knife. I was so fucking scared of meeting them, and that fear combined with my annoyance at her choice of wardrobe gave me a throbbing headache. I tried not thinking about all of that and just focusing on my driving, but the sight of her bare legs made me even more troubled. She seemed to notice my bad temper, and I hoped that she wouldn't do anything about it. The last thing I needed at the moment was to be provoked even more.

"Are you ready?" She asked after a few minutes of silence. I gripped the steering wheel eve tighter, digging my nails into the leather.

Instead of a verbal answer, I just shrugged because honestly, I had no idea myself.

"I understand the pressure you must be feeling now but just remember that you come first. Be nice to them, but question their approach towards you." She kept on talking, and I kept on getting angrier by the second. "We have to figure out why you guys drifted apart in the first place. I know you feel guilty but it can't be your fault entirely. You need to be calm but be prepared to raise your voice if you have to."

I glanced at her and she held my gaze. I flinched when I saw something flash in her eyes. Pity.

"We're almost there," I said, in an attempt to shut her up.

"Oh?" Her voice irked me, "And how does that make you feel?"

The car suddenly screeched to an abrupt stop as I didn't even care that I stopped in the middle of the road. Luckily there weren't any cars behind us because it was a rarely visited street. Her body flung forward, only to be thrown against the seat by the sheer force of the seatbelt. She rubbed her head even though she wasn't hit or anything, and turned to look my way.

"Just shut up for once, okay?!" I asked, my voice booming in the cramped space. "Stop pressuring me and stop fucking talking about it! I don't care what you have to say and I don't care what you feel right now!" The words escaped my mouth faster than I could check what I was saying. "Fuck off, Lucy."

I was panting with the afterglow of screaming out insults at her.

She was scared.

I could've handled it if she were mad or angry at me, or furious even. I could handle if she chose to send me to hell and left the car in an instant; but not this.

Even though I'd promised myself I'd protect her and never let anything scare her again, I failed to protect her from myself. I thought she would have nothing to be afraid of as long as she was with me, and I would help her be happy, but apparently I was doing the opposite of that. She was dead scared of me.

Even though I wanted the best for her.

Even though she was my everything.

Feeling all my rage and hatred deplete, I turned forward in my seat, and started the engine again before some other car showed up and honked at me. We didn't say anything for the rest of the way, and I was glad we only had a two-minute drive until we got there.

I exited the car after parking right in front of the bar, but before I could circle the car and open the door for her, she'd already gotten out by herself and was headed for the bar. I didn't dare call out her name after my outburst, so I jogged to keep up with her so we could enter the building together. I was lucky she was still here, and not in a taxi on her way back home.

I searched for an opening to apologize, but we were inside the place in a second, and no such option presented itself to me.

Upon entrance I was immediately struck by that feeling of nostalgia that hit me whenever I was reminded of my friends. The place was packed with people, and the dim lights made it hard to see where our company was. There was some sort of jazz playing in the background, and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. It was roughly eleven pm, and yet a lot of the people were already drunk. That's fairy Tail for ya.

I smoothed out my shirt to look more presentable, and we started walking around the bar to find where they've seated. I would've kept looking around like an idiot if Lucy didn't point out Gray, and we headed in his direction. They'd chosen the booth by the window, and most of them were already there. Gray and Juvia, Erza and Jellal, and even Gajeel. I picked up the pace and got there before Lucy did.

The mood surrounding the table immediately shifted, and the eye-roll from Erza didn't go unnoticed. Gajeel didn't say a word to me, and just continued talking to Jellal about gas prices or whatever. Gray stared at Erza with a disapproving glare before turning towards me to force out a smile. Juvia was the first to speak.

"Natsu, you made it." She said, and I nodded a hello her way. At least someone had manners.

"Yeah," I replied, and every conversation on the table was cut short, to give way for the staring. I tried not thinking of the analyzing looks they were all giving me, and instead smiled as best as I could. "I see you're having a good time." I choked out, the weight of their stares beginning too hard for me to handle.

"Yep," Gray spoke when it became obvious that nobody else would. And that was it. I was succumbed to even more awkward glances and dirty looks so much that I wanted to just storm out and never walk into this bar again. I wondered if anyone else would be joining as well, since there seemed to be three extra chairs. Then I remembered that I hadn't seen Mira anywhere and shrugged. The air became a little heavy since nobody had said a single word the entire time I stood there like a complete idiot. I felt so uncomfortable I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. It was painfully clear that they didn't want me there. That I was intruding.

"Sorry to just show up unannounced," We all turned to look at Lucy, who'd just popped out from behind me. I completely forgot she was there. I was too absorbed in my own misery that I didn't even introduce her or anything. She stepped out in front of me, shaking everybody's hand one by one. "I'm Lucy, nice to meet you." She said, and I used the time while their attention was on her, to pull out two chairs and sit on one. I got the seat next to Juvia, and Lucy sat down next to me, after exchanging names with everyone at the table.

It was pretty warm inside, so she unbuttoned her jacket. I wasn't paying that much attention but I noticed that everyone around me _was._ Gajeel and Jellal gave her a once over, and even Gray allowed himself a look in her direction, before rapidly glancing the other way. I turned to see what was so interesting, and almost choked on pure air when I noticed the fact that she was wearing a light pink t-shirt reaching up to her neck, but there was a small heart-shaped cut out in the material, so you could see a hint of her cleavage.

Erza and Juvia were dressed in revealing tops and shorts, but even though Lucy was subtle, we could all silently agree she had the best figure. I felt a bit proud, even though that had nothing to do with anything for that matter.

The chatter they'd been engaged in earlier was now stopped, and nobody had anything to say. Lucy and I were the outsiders and we could all tell that. It was stupidly annoying. I could feel the pressure piling up on me even more than it had before I walked inside the bar, so I excused myself with a stupid reason of fetching us some drinks.

But as I neared the bar I noticed my obvious mistake.

Mira was chatting with some random dude and wiping a beer mug with a piece of cloth. The reason she was so carefree was probably because she hadn't noticed me yet. I scanned the bar for another waitress, but it seemed like Mira was the only one there at the moment. I sighed and mentally screamed at my stroke of bad luck as I waited for the random guy to finish his chit chat and let me order my drinks.

And as though I'd said it out loud, the dude suddenly turned around and walked toward some other table. I could feel my nervousness rising as I took over his spot, leaning my sweaty palms on the counter as I waited for her to notice me. She took her sweet time in polishing the hell out of that mug, before finally setting it down and turning towards me with a big commercial smile on her face. It faded the moment she realized who I was. Mira didn't roll her eyes like everybody else, but I knew she desperately wanted to. Trying with all her might to re-summon a smile—and failing—she leaned her head to the side.

"What can I get ya?" She asked, and I noticed heads tuning in her direction to stare at her beauty.

 _A chance,_ I almost said, but knew better. "Get me a beer and… uh…" My mind went blank when I thought of Lucy since I didn't really know what she liked, "I don't know? Something girls like?"

She raised her brow, taking the mug she'd been previously wiping to pour me some beer, "Something that girls like? You're really inconsiderate, aren't you? You shouldn't just label girls like that. Not every girl has the same taste, you know." Of course she'd use every single opening to lash out at me. I was in the lion's den after all. Everyone I would talk to tonight will probably act the same. I was reminded of the reason I never stopped by here after we stopped talking to each other. I would always run into one of them here. One of my ex-friends.

I almost scoffed, but kept my mouth shut. She was right, even though she was probably just saying this because she was annoyed with me. I didn't fight back even though I desperately wanted to, and just nodded my head like a good little boy. "Alright, some wine then."

"What kind?" She asked as she sat the beer mug down in front of me.

I was once more caught unguarded. What kind of wine does she even like? Did she even drink alcohol? I don't think so? And speaking of which, wasn't she feeling a bit uncomfortable all alone with them? I'd escaped their clutches for the same reason. And I left her there with people she barely knew.

Feeling that I'd misjudged things on my part, and left everything according to my own convenience kind of made me feel like a douche all over again. I was putting myself first. Just as I always did. My defense mechanism was acting up again. I rubbed the back of my head under Mira's constant surveillance, staring at the various labels on all the different bottles of wine stacked behind her.

"Any sort of virgin cocktail would be fine." We both turned towards Lucy who'd just popped out of thin air.

Mira glanced back and forth, her gaze travelling from me to Lucy. She stared at me as though she wasn't sure that we were here together. When I didn't manage to make any sort of move to indicate that yes, Lucy was here with all of us, she took the matter in her own hands.

Lucy placed an arm around my shoulder, without breaking eye-contact with Mira at least once. She was good at that sort of thing. "Is there something wrong with my order?"

Mira raised her eyebrow as if asking herself if this was really happening. I didn't blame her. I was asking the same thing myself. After none of us said anything for the next half minute, she turned to get us our drinks. Lucy's hand dropped down from my shoulder, and the place where she'd been touching suddenly felt cold. I wanted to turn around and hug her and just apologize for anything and everything, but I knew that it would affect the outcome of this entire night, so I just tried acting calm. I needed to talk to her about everything that happened since the very time we left the house, but I didn't know how to go about it.

And I could see how desperately she was trying to act tough in front of them. In front of me. In front of all of us. She wasn't the sort of person to just show dominance like this, so I had no idea why she was doing it. Especially after I told her to fuck off.

While my mind was trying to make sense out of all this information, Mira almost made me jump by slamming a beer mug on the counter. Next to it was a slender glass with some sort of weird liquid, red at the bottom, and slowly melting into a soft orange at the top. There was a swirly straw in it, and some sort of orange slice or whatever on the side of the glass. "Virgin sex on the beach," Mira said, and I tried not to say anything about the way it sounded. Lucy thanked her and I didn't let her pay for it. The least I could do was pay for her drink.

Mira seemed even more agitated to have to take my money after she was forced to spend the last three minutes in my presence. She eyed Lucy while counting the money that was supposed to be my change. I offered her to take it, but she wouldn't take any money from me except the necessary.

She handed the change to Lucy and not me. I watched her lean on top of the counter as Lucy turned to give me the change. As I was putting it inside my wallet, Mira couldn't stop staring.

"Listen babygirl," She said, and Lucy and I both looked at her in surprise, "I understand you're interested in him. He's buying your drink and god knows what he said to you, but watch yourself." My mouth dropped down in surprise, this being the last thing on my mind. Mira was warning Lucy about me. I knew that every single person inside this bar knew about my illicit activities in the past few months, but nobody had ever told a girl something like this.

"Excuse me?" Lucy mumbled, as I reached to grab her drink as well, so we could get out of here fast.

"I'm just giving you a heads up," Mira said, resting her head on her palm, "You look like a nice girl. And nice girls always get ruined by him." I watched Lucy's lips press into a firm line, some sort of cloud washing over her eyes. She knew that Mirajane was telling the truth. I really was that sort of guy. The sort of person your mother warns you to stay away from. And I'd proved that even more by lashing out at her in my car when she was only trying to help. "So watch yourself sweetheart." Mira's voice was getting even louder, turning a few heads, "He won't call you tomorrow morning."

"Yes, because I'll be under him."

Approximately three people choked on their drinks. Mira's mouth dropped open and her eyes turned wide. I felt my palms sweat out waterfalls over the glasses, and my stomach knitted a sweater with my intestines. My mind flashed all sorts of images that I wouldn't be getting rid of any time soon, and I tried to look unfazed as Lucy turned around and grabbed her drink from out of my hand.

She used her free arm to link it under my own, pressing her body as close to mine as she could. "Let's go babe, before someone else tries to talk trash about you."

My feet turned around and we walked automatically, while I was still trying to grasp the situation. Lucy had just humiliated herself in front of Mira and the random dudes sitting around the bar. My head was going haywire trying to understand why she'd done that and if there was a way for me to fix the damage, when she placed her drink back into my hand. "Take this to the table, I'm going to go to the bathroom for a bit." I didn't get to even ask her if she was alright before she dashed for the bathroom. I thought of what to say to her. What to ask her. How to approach her after such an outburst.

And I realized that thinking wasn't going to get me anywhere. I needed to act.

I practically ran over to our table, ignored the stares I got from my 'friends', and slammed the drinks down. "I forgot my wallet in the car," I said, and Gray offered to lend me money so I could go back and pay. "Nah, I'll go get it real quick." They shrugged it off since it wasn't their problem, and I turned around and mingled with the crowd. The bar was pretty big, but I knew where I was going. I was glad that the bathroom was further away from our table, so they couldn't see me bracing myself, closing my eyes and entering the female bathroom like a soldier going into war. I did my best to ignore the shrieks from the girls powdering their noses, and opened my eyes when I heard them all run outside.

I could hear heavy breathing from the only occupied stall. I knocked softly, praying that this wasn't some sort of misunderstanding and Lucy actually left me alone while she went back home to pack and move to Alaska.

"Lucy?" My voice was barely audible, but the door creaked open nonetheless. And instead of seeing her crying her eyes out or slashing her wrists open, she was just standing there with her cheeks as red as her cocktail. She told me to enter and closed the door behind me, the stall feeling cramped with both of us there.

I'd acted out. I ran in here with no game plan whatsoever. My back leaned against the stall. There was no room to maneuver. I looked towards Lucy again. She was trying to calm herself and it was somewhat working. She gasped for air and released it slowly, but the redness on her cheeks stayed. She looked at me for the first time this night, and despite everything, she smiled. She smiled the goofiest smile I'd ever seen, and her blush was just adding to the cuteness. "I can't believe I said that!" She mumbled, waving her hands in front of her face to try and cool it down. "Oh my god, that took like half of my lifetime supply of courage but I actually said it!" A small laugh erupted from her, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks. "I'm so embarrassed but it was totally worth it!" I felt something stuck in my throat and something drop on my chest, "Did you see her face?! I had no idea I was capable of such a thing!" Another small giggle echoed, "This is so exciting!"

One of the wires holding my brain in place snapped, and I cupped her head. Her cheeks flamed against my sweaty hands and I kissed her. I kissed her with a newfound passion. I kissed her with the lust of a man in love. I could hear girls entering the bathroom but I didn't care. It wasn't the first time a couple was making out in a bathroom stall. She didn't seem to mind either. She opened her mouth and allowed me deeper access as one of my hands left the side of her face to encircle her waist and pull her even closer.

I had my entire world in my hands and there was no way I would ever let it slip between my fingers again. I kissed her as an apology for everything I said, I kissed her as an apology for everything I did, as a form of gratitude for going that far for me, and as a way of conveying just how much I loved her. How much I loved this small piece of bubbly emotions in my hands right now.

I broke the kiss and bit down on her lip, lightly chewing on the softness before using my teeth to pull her lower lip and tug on it like it was a toy. Her hands found themselves into my hair, as she pulled me in even closer. My fingers trailed across the material of her shirt, pulling it across her neck and down the start of her arm, so that I had her shoulder completely uncovered. She didn't have any time to react before my teeth sunk in the soft spot above her collar bone. I'd chosen that place because the shirt would be able to cover the mark. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. But I needed this. I desperately needed some sort of way to prove to her how grateful I was.

She moaned in surprise, and I concentrated my mind on her smile to stop myself from doing something I might regret. Instead I marveled at the taste of her skin as I nibbled down, allowing my tongue a quick trip across the spot. No matter how much I tugged on her with my teeth, she didn't say a word. I pulled back after her breathing in my ear threatened to shatter my last ounce of self-control. I inspected the damage, feeling somewhat proud of myself for leaving the red mark on her. I kissed it softly as if atoning for my sin, and pulled her shirt back up so it was covered again.

My eyes found her own and I stared at how beautiful she was. Her ruffled hair, her blushing expression, her eyes half-shrouded in exhaustion and her lips plump from my handiwork. She was here, tired and out of breath, with half-open eyes and a stare that could melt down the Antarctic. Her breathing was slow and ragged, and I had to force myself to look away so I don't attack her even more than I already had.

I slammed her against my chest in an all-out bear hug. Only when I was sure she wouldn't pull away did I allow myself a sigh of relief. "I thought you were mad at me."

Her words came like murmurs against my shirt, "I am, but that can wait. You're not going to get your dignity back if I stomp all over you like they're doing."

We stood there for a few more seconds before we decided that it would be suspicious if we stay any longer. I left first, but not after we both made sure there was no one else inside the bathroom, and I went back to the table. Our drinks were still untouched, and I made myself comfortable on my chair, ready to tune into the conversation they were having. Lucy arrived a minute later, sitting down right next to me.

"So… Lucy, was it?" Erza started, and I felt my defense mechanisms turn back into place, "Why are you here?" It took her a few seconds to realize how rude she sounded, so she reformulated her question, "I mean, what brings you here?"

Lucy's smile never wavered, "Well Natsu's car, of course."

I had to make myself take a sip of that beer to stop myself from laughing.

"Uh huh," Erza raised her brow, turning to Jellal for support. She almost snapped when she noticed that he was too busy talking to Gajeel to interrogate Lucy with her.

I watched Erza plaster a fake smile again, and lean back in her seat, "That's quite the outfit you've got there."

Lucy's grin widened, "I could say the same thing, but yours is practically invisible."

Lucy's comment was spot on since Erza's tanktop revealed like 80% of her body. I tried to tune into the guys' conversation but I found the other one much more amusing.

"I see you're the person Natsu decided to bring for moral support."

"I just couldn't pass up the chance to see the sort of people he ditched."

Their conversation was passive aggressive, and both of them had the biggest smiles I'd ever seen. It was obvious that this was the way girls fight, so I stayed out of it because I knew they'd grill me like a fish. Men were no match for girls and their drama.

"So Juvia told me that you've been to his house." Erza had no intention of letting this conversation go.

"Any time he needs me, I'm there."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure that's not often."

"You'd be surprised then."

I was still wondering how none of the guys cared to listen to this gold. They were too busy talking about a new set of weights at their local gym.

"You're probably sharing him with ten other girls."

"Hey as long as I'm getting the biggest piece of the pie, who am I to complain?"

I could almost see the sparks of electricity flying between them as they kept their nice-face on. Erza's mouth twitched when she realized she finally had a match in her bitchiness. "You look like you're pretty useful to him."

Lucy took a sip from her drink, "Who do you think ironed his shirt?'

"Ah, so you degrade yourself to that level as well."

"Only the best for my man." I felt some sort of warmth spread in my chest after she said that and my hand found its place on her leg. Lucy didn't react, so I left it there. We both needed support.

"That's an interesting choice of 'man'." Erza showed no signs of backing down.

"Too bad you can't say the same. He's off the market."

"It would make no difference if he were."

"Yeah, because you probably can't afford him."

I was about to put an end to their bickering even though I took pride in having Lucy defend me, when Gray's voice brought me back to their own world.

"What about you Natsu? Where do you work out?"

" _If_ you work out." Came Gajeel's harsh attachment.

"I have some equipment in my basement so I don't go to any gyms." I said, feeling nervous already.

"Oh? I'd like to see that sometime." Jellal said, and I thanked the heavens that he wasn't here to feed on my misery. He seemed like a really nice guy. We hadn't talked a lot, but he didn't have anything against me from what I could tell.

"Sure, come over any time you want." I replied.

"Nice girl you got there," Gajeel started, "You hit that?"

I opened my mouth and closed it when no words came out. The truthful answer is no, or at least not yet; but the cool answer is yes. However, Lucy's dignity had been degraded enough for one night. No way in hell would I lie about sleeping with her when that had only happened inside my head.

"How rude of you to ask that in the presence of the lady in question," Said Juvia, saving the day. I silently thanked her for jumping to both mine and Lucy's rescue. Guess we weren't alone in this one. Gray was also on my side from what I'd gathered so far. So we only had a few others left to convert.

"She looks like your type of girl, I guess," Gajeel was set on not giving up.

"Yeah? And what type is that?" I asked, annoyed by the fact that they were still on my case.

"A whore."

I was confused. I was confused why Lucy was tugging on my shirtsleeve and yelling some incomprehensible words in my ear. I didn't understand why Juvia was screaming, or why Erza slapped me across the face. I didn't get why Gray and Jellal were bent under the table.

Not until they pulled Gajeel up and I noticed the stinging sensation on my right hand.

I'd punched him.

My hearing slowly came back from the shock and my body started to move again. I released my other arm from Lucy's grasp and circled the table to where Gajeel was sitting. Jellal had left to get whatever it was, and Gray and Juvia were trying to see how much damage I'd caused to the idiot.

To be honest, I'd probably do it again.

Gajeel spat out a few drops of blood on top of the table, then looked back up at me. I'd hit him square on the jaw. It wasn't broken, and there wasn't any sort of massive bone sticking out from the side or something. His wound was pretty small and I felt no such thing as guilt. I only wished I'd hurt him more. I expected him to jump up from the chair and slam me against the table or pull out a gun or something, but he didn't. He winced when Jellal came back and pressed a wet napkin on his face. Gray insisted I sit back on my chair across from Gajeel, where he'd probably not be able to do anything to me. But if I could reach across, grab him by the collar and punch him so hard he fell off his chair, surely he could do the same. Or worse.

I braced myself, oblivious to Lucy's screaming to leave the place. The other customers didn't bat an eye. It was just another bar fight like the countless others they have every day.

I sat waiting for my nemesis to chew me out, watching Erza spew insults at me and scream that I was no longer welcome here. Gajeel didn't say a thing at first, he just stared at me as though analyzing which angle to hit me at. My fists clenched again, and I cringed when the pain from hitting his jaw finally caught up with me. I needed a wet napkin as well, but nobody brought one for me. I really _wasn't_ welcome here. Had I ever been?

And then Gajeel did the last thing I expected him to. He smiled. That wicked smile he does whenever he sees something he likes. He shook his head, probably still having a hard time believing I'd actually done that. Hell, I didn't even believe it myself.

"Alright," his voice was raspy, "Now we're even."

The others stood silent for a while before realizing that the show was over, and sat back down on the chairs. I let out a breath of relief that everything was finally over and Gajeel wasn't going to kick me into next week.

Or at least that's what I thought.

I almost slammed my head on the table when I felt his foot jam into my left leg, causing unbearable pain to shoot along my entire body in a second. Were those shoes made of metal? I slammed my hands on the table to keep myself from screaming like a little bitch, and bit my lip to get my sensors of pain to concentrate on it, instead of the lightning pulsating through my leg. Lucy screamed out again, but the others did nothing. I managed to open my eyes and look towards Gajeel. He had the biggest grin plastered on his face as he watched me with amusement.

" _Now_ we're even." He said, and reached out a hand from across the table.

He was a simple man. He solved all conflict with a fistfight, or in this case, a kick to the leg. If having that sort of pain inflicted on me meant that I would get to talk to my friend again, I was ready to let the rest of them punch and kick me too. I accepted his hand and we both smiled. I was glad to have it over. One down, Erza and Mira to go.

"But if you say that again I'm going to fucking murder you." I said, gaining the attention of everyone at the table.

Lucy cocked her head to the side, a look of worry in her eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing important." I mumbled, and she made a face that said she didn't believe me. But that was fine. I could live with her not believing me. I just couldn't live with her being called a whore.

I knew Gajeel only said that to hurt me. He didn't really mean it. But it still got on my nerves.

"Seems like you're having fun," We all turned heads when Mira's voice appeared behind me. "My coworker is taking over." She said, and sat on the empty chair between Gajeel and Erza. She had this huge smile on her face, but I knew better than to trust it. Mira was probably the one who hated me the most. She was a person who could not handle disgrace towards women. But she had a kind heart. I knew she would forgive me if I tried.

"Oh, Natsu's still here," she said, "I thought I smelled a huge breathtaking disappointment on my way here."

At least I think she would.

I ignored the fact that she was hating on me and let my arm fall protectively on Lucy's shoulders. What I needed now was support. And she was the only person who would give it to me. Right on cue, her hand reached up and cupped my own, a look of determination crossing her face.

Mira's singsong voice chirped again, "Now that we're all here, why not play a good ol' game of truth or dare?"

This was going to be a long, _long_ night.

* * *

 **A/N: Why am I such an irresponsible human being? Why can't time stop when I need it to? Why can't life stop throwing shit at me? Why couldn't I finish this chapter in like three weeks? Why did I have to gain weight? Why did Saeran have to burn alive in V's route?**

 **ANYWAYS**

 **YOUR CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT OF AN AUTHOR IS MAKING A COMEBACK WITH THIS 9500 WORD CHAPTER I ALMOST DIED WRITING**

 **I sincerely thank all of your for you amazing reviews and kind words! I hope this chapter is good enough to act as an apology for my absence T_T pls don't hate me more than you already do T_T**

 **I need to go and take a five-year nap now. Once again, i'm super sorry!**

 **I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!

through blades and prayers; to hell and back. (for **Jerza Addict** )


	21. Chapter 20

**(A/N): Is someone still reading this?**

* * *

 **20**

 **Get me good**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _Mira's singsong voice chirped again, "Now that we're all here, why not play a good ol' game of truth or dare?"_

 _This was going to be a long, long night._

* * *

I didn't care what she'd planned to ask me. The only thing on my mind was what she wanted to ask Lucy. I'd already put her through enough this evening, and Mira's corrupt games aren't what you'd call "fun to play". I knew I had Gajeel on my side, but when it came to Erza and Mira, an entire army of men wouldn't be enough to tame them.

I looked around us, frantically searching for some escape route so I can talk to Lucy in private and warn her that this wasn't anything but trouble. I knew that Mira wanted to humiliate me in front of everyone at this table, but she didn't have to go through Lucy to do that. But Mira's a sly person, so I could expect anything from her and still be surprised.

"We don't have a bottle," Juvia's French accent slid between the drinks on the table, "How do we play?"

"I forgot you're new here," Erza shook her head, a look of worry crossing her eyes, "Mirajane doesn't need a bottle to make you regret being born."

"Whaaat?" A lock of white hair twirled around her finger as the she-demon tried looking absolutely innocent. But no matter her sweetness input, the rest of the table went really tense. I looked towards Lucy and was surprised to see that she had determination in her eyes. Did she actually think she could break through this?

"Alright, I'll go first then," Jellal spoke for the first time in a while, and we all looked at him like he was an angel. We'd just have to outsmart Mira and not let her play. If we picked anyone else but her, we would successfully avoid her deathtraps. "Okay, I pick Gajeel."

You could almost feel the surprise in his features when he heard his name. Gajeel looked at Jellal is if he were nuts, but spoke nonetheless, "Truth I guess,".

"Alright, where's your date?" The table went loud with a few "oooh"s and a few "aaah"s. He rolled his eyes but I could see a tiny blush on his cheeks.

"I'm not into anyone right now," He said, but the embarrassment was evident.

"Oh Juvia can arrange that!" She shouted, slamming her hand on the table as though this was the life mission she had been waiting all along, "Juvia met a friend in the library when Juvia was getting books to perfect the English language!"

"I see you still haven't perfected it since you use your name in every sentence," Gajeel shot back.

"And that's just part of her charm," Gray said, raising his glass as a silent salute. "Leave it to my girl and you'll have a lady in no time."

"She's perfect!" Juvia continued, the conversation taking an entirely different direction which made us all a little glad, "She's smart, nice and reads a lot of books!"

"That's the complete opposite of Gajeel," I said, and they all looked at me as though I were a baby gagging out my first words. I'd intruded on the conversation like I was part of the group which I clearly wasn't.

Gray's smile turned into a smirk, "Totally, bro." He said, and the others nodded, "Smart, nice and reads books? More like: stupid, rude and probably uses books to wipe his—"

"I think that's enough!" Erza waved off the discussion, and I laughed along with the others. I hadn't felt this way in ages, just being able to sit down with a bunch of friends and talk about meaningless stuff and laugh like there's no tomorrow and the world doesn't have hungry kids and the ozone layer isn't being destroyed and whatnot.

"Anyways, back to the game!" Mira shouted, and we all fell silent. This was going to be harder than I thought. It wouldn't take just one silly conversation to change the topic entirely. No, she needed to see someone bleed. And in this case, that someone was me.

"So it's my turn, huh?" Gajeel commented, looking towards me with a grin. Oh no. I braced myself, ready for the things to come and gripping the sides of my chair like they were my lifeline.

"Lucy, was it?" We all stopped to look at Mira who was staring at my girl as though she had something wrong with her.

"Um, yes." Lucy replied, crumbling under the look of pure curiosity coming from Mira.

"Have we met before?" Mirajane asked, and we all turned our direction towards Lucy who eyed her in confusion.

"Not that I know of."

Mirajane is a bit older then us so she was still in high school when we started attending, but Lucy said she only transferred this year, so that means that they couldn't have met either way. But nobody said they'd have to meet at school. Maybe they met at a different place. But… where?

Mira squinted her eyes at Lucy for a few more seconds before brushing the matter aside, "I probably mistook you for someone else." A glint in her eyes told me she wasn't going to let this go. "After all, I don't mingle with your kind of crowd."

"My kind of crowd?" Lucy echoed, leaning back against the chair, "And what sort of crowd do you think I belong in?"

A smile tugged on the she-demon's lips as she looked back at her drink, "Oh sweetie," she traced the rim on her wine glass with her forefinger, "It's impolite to say dirty things when we're all having such a great time."

I could tell that Lucy was already at her limit and the game hadn't even started yet. If Mira was going to attack us at any given moment, this night would be a long one.

"As much as I understood, you're not the one who's supposed to be asking the questions," Gajeel butted in, and I almost kissed him for it. "Now, little miss sunshine, tell me…" He rubbed his chin, prolonging this as much as he possibly could so my heart would suffer more than it already had. "What's your relationship with ol' buddy ol' pal Natsu over here, huh? You guys dating or what?"

Instead of coming to her rescue and thinking of some sort of answer, I looked at Lucy with the same amount of curiosity everyone else at the table had. _What were we?_ I didn't know that myself. I wanted to help her out but I was asking myself the same thing.

She took a sip from her cocktail, a small gesture but enough to inform me that she didn't know what to say. Her cheeks reddened a bit, probably because she was not used to all the attention being on her. "Well, I guess you could say we… live together?"

Erza gasped and Mira's eyes widened as though this was the last thing she was expecting. Jellal and Gajeel couldn't care less about our private life, and Gray had that knowing smirk on his face while Juvia giggled like she was part of some inside joke. She probably was though, because it seemed just like a joke to me, if I was being honest. Yes, we lived together. Yes, that could make everyone at the table imagine all sorts of things. But what about me? What was I supposed to think? She didn't lie about our relationship at all, but the others would surely imagine it as a lot more serious than it was. Was it serious at all though?

My gaze landed on her small hand, fanning her blushing face, her eyes staring down at something on the table. _What are we?_ I wanted to ask. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she told me. _What is our relationship?_

And more importantly: what did I want it to be?

Sure, I loved things the way they were now, living together, talking all the time, me stealing a kiss every now and then, but what did all of that mean? Heck, she could get a boyfriend right this very second and I couldn't protest since we never established the sort of relationship we had. She could get any guy she wanted and I wouldn't be able to complain. She could walk out of my life no questions asked.

"Erza," said Lucy, her voice nudging me back inside the real world, and it took a few seconds before I remembered where I was and what I was doing.

"Me?" The redhead in question smirked, cracking her knuckles as though blondie asked for a fistfight. "Alright. Truth."

"Why do you hate Natsu?" She asked, and everyone went quiet. I almost kicked her under the table for brining that up again, but it was probably better this way. We had to resolve it sometime. Sooner, rather than later.

"I figured you'd go with something like that." Erza chuckled, "Dare."

I flinched. Smart.

"Alright then," Lucy's voice didn't waver. "I _dare_ you to tell me why you hate Natsu."

Smart _er._

The rest of the group laughed and teased Erza for falling into a trap like that. The redhead had no back up plan, so she just shrugged. "Since he's a douchebag. A fucking bastard that can't keep his dick in his pants. I don't know what you saw in him but it definitely isn't the tremendously high level of intelligence or the grand romantic gestures. Which brings me back to my turn, you blonde bimbo. Truth or dare?"

Lucy was taken aback, since she definitely didn't plan on being attacked twice in a row. "M-me? Truth again, I guess."

I closed my eyes in dreaded anticipation for that was to come next. I knew for a fact that Erza would attack until she destroys. My hand searched for Lucy's under the table, but found nothing.

"Well, since you probably sold yourself for all the cash in his bank, riddle me this: how far do you go when pleasuring him since he seems to be sticking to you. What do you do to him that other girls don't? What sort of dirty games do you play to make yourself stick out like a—"

"What do you want to hear, huh?" Lucy's voice flared up with anger, and I opened my eyes to be greeted by her trembling figure. "That I let him fuck me five times a day? That I dress up during sex or that I lick his feet? That I bring friends over and pleasure him in a group? That I let him tie me up and have his way with me? What is it you want to hear, huh? Because let me assure you, you can think whatever you want about me as long as it makes you satisfied. I'll even drop down on my knees, undo his zipper right now and demonstrate it to you, you horny bitch." And as though she suddenly realized that she wasn't alone in the room, she looked down at her hands and took another sip of her drink. A quick blush overtook her face and she was quick to react, "I'm sorry about what I said but not everyone on this table wants to hear about what I do behind closed doors."

To say that the rest of us were confused would be an understatement. Never in a million years would I expect such a reaction from her. Jellal didn't look like he liked the way Lucy was talking to his girlfriend, but he didn't have the right to defend her since she was the first one to start this, so he kept quiet.

"Juvia," Lucy mumbled, going for her safest bet. The blue haired mademoiselle's eyes glinted at the mention of her name, enjoying the fact that the spotlight was finally on her. "Truth or dare?"

"Well, since everyone is going for truth, Juvia will have to say dare!" She exclaimed, Gray looking towards her with all the affection his cold eyes could muster.

"Dare?" Lucy mumbled, clearly unprepared for something of the sort. "Take three tequila shots with me."

Gray and I exchange a worried glance even before Juvia could scream "Ha! That is no match for the almighty Juvia!"

And of course, we were stuck with getting the drinks. I shoved away Lucy's outstretched hand holding cash, and ignored her protests. The least I could do was pay for her drinks, even though I highly didn't approve of them.

"Dude. I highly don't approve od this.", Gray whispered.

I gave him a knowing look as we pushed past drunk men and slutty babes to make our way to the bar. Was Fairy Tail always this overcrowded or did my memory fail me? I just felt like the sooner I got out the better it would be for both Lucy and I.

"Six tequila shots," I said, Gray grumbling behind me.

"Can you water them down?" He asked, but the barmaid replacing Mirajane was a lot quicker than her, and the little glasses found themselves before us in a matter of seconds. I looked at Gray with the "nice try" look and paid for half the drinks.

Balancing two of them in one hand, and another in the other one, I almost collided with the lady in question when I turned around. Gray saw the determination in her eyes, and hurried over to the table. "Lucy," I breathed, surprised to see her, "I was just on my way over."

"Why won't you take the money?" She asked, a hurt expression plastered on her face. "I hate it when my friends pay for my drinks like that." The sentence hurt so bad it almost pierced my heart. Friends. So that's what we were in her mind. But could I really blame her since I never properly asked her out?

"Listen, about this tequila thing, you don't have to—"

"I used to have some fun too you know, one upon a time."

"Yeah, but once upon a time you weren't my responsibility." I said, pointing my head towards our table so she'd finally start walking.

"And now I am?" She challenged, taking all three of the shots from my hands. "Excuse me Mr Experience but I'm nobody's responsibility. If you see me as one, I will gladly pack up and go. Seems like I've overstayed my welcome anyway."

"Lucy—" I shouted, grasping for her hand, but she slipped away like I was nothing to her. Which I probably was. I cursed my bad choice of words and made my way back to the table before anyone noticed I was lagging behind.

Lucy and Juvia were getting ready to take their first shot, and I sat down on my chair with an expression that must've been grave since Gajeel freely laughed in my face.

"On three! One, two—" and the liquid vanished leaving the rest of us questioning if there was anything in there in the first place. Juvia giggled, glad to make the rest of us stare at them in awe. Gray shook his head and glared daggers at me as though I was responsible for everything Lucy said or did.

The rest of the small glasses were empty in the next minute and even Erza had to applaud. She ordered another round for all of us including me. Maybe the harsh treatment of my partner made her soften. Or maybe she put something in my beer.

But even the fact that Erza finally seemed to calm down couldn't put my brain at rest. Lucy's speech about packing up and leaving really hit hard.

"Oookay!" Juvia hollered, taking a sip from her wine to 'wash down' the tequila. "Juvia picks… The white-haired lady!" Everyone groaned and I glared those daggers right back at Gray.

"Truth!" Mira proclaimed, since Gray once dared her to stop playing the game, and it was our biggest accomplishment yet. Needless to say she never chose dare after that.

"Okay!" small giggled erupted from Juvia's mouth, and Gray slapped his forehead in helplessness. "Have you ever had a crush on Gray!?"

A collective sigh echoed across the table, the question now being very obvious since it came from her. We all should've seen it coming and I almost punched myself that I didn't.

"No. And I think I just remembered where I know Natsu's sweetheart from." A glint of mischief flashed in her eyes, while Lucy mumbled something about needing another drink. "So, without further ado, I shall be asking you, pretty lady. Truth or dare?"

I looked towards my companion and almost reached out to hug her. This night was supposed to be tough on me but she seemed to be the only one taking the hits. Everyone turned against her since they thought it was the easiest way to get to me. And they were right. She stared at Mira, carefully weighing her options at hand. I knew that she wanted to go with truth, but after all the horrible questions she experienced, she settled with "Dare."

"Alright then sweetie, this will be a breeze for you." She said, a wicked smile crossing her pale lips, as all of us closed in on the table in further anticipation. Mirajane reached inside her cleavage, making Juvia scoff since Gray also looked at her hand fumbling between her breasts. Just as I was about to ask what kind of freak show we were in, she pulled out a piece of paper. Her manicured nails scraped the wood of the table as she slid it across the surface until it reached Lucy's hands. "I dare you…"

Lucy opened up the folded piece of paper, and the rest of us were itching to see what it was. Mira's eyes filled with a sort of determination I never thought she could muster. I tried peeking from behind Lucy's shoulder, but I was stopped by the small muffled cry she let out. Everyone turned their attention to her, curious as to why her face was freaking out and the only thing she could verbalize was the small cry of surprise and fear. I brushed the hair off of her shoulder so I could look at what she was seeing.

It wasn't a piece of paper. It was that cursed photo she'd shown me earlier. The one of her and her ex boyfriend lying on a bed, with her breasts in full view. My vision started clouding in a deep shade of red, and I gripped my knees hard before I hit someone.

"I dare you to recreate that picture."

And I snapped.

I snapped and lunged forward, knocking half the drinks off the table but I didn't care. Oh I didn't give a damn. My hand cupped that devil's chin and I pulled her to her feet. I didn't care that she was a girl. I didn't care that the others bored their fingernails into my hand, urging me to stop and let go. I'd come here with good intentions. Lucy came here with good intentions. She did everything with good intentions. And this was her reward?

My grip tightened so hard I could feel the bone beneath her skin, and I flung her chin to the side, making her head turn ninety degrees until she wasn't facing me anymore. The others grabbed me by the legs or by the hands, and someone even pulled at my hair, but I felt nothing. Nothing except rage.

If it wasn't for Juvia, who shouted out "Lucy wait!" so help me God.

I shifted my attention towards the door, catching a blonde head running through the entrance doorway in a frenzy. I motioned Juvia to wait there and stay calm, and turned back towards Mira who had her smile back on by now.

"Oh come on Natsu, you couldn't possibly believe she wasn't a whore, right?"

"You little bitch!"

But Gray and Gajeel acted faster this time around, and I had my hands behind my back in a matter of seconds. Jellal stood protectively in front of Mirajane, as though that would stop me from ripping that smile off of her face.

"Listen here you fucking piece of shit!" I shouted, earning a few concerned looks from the other guests. "If I catch you flaunting that thing around one more time I swear there will be no one to pry you out of my hands alive, you understand? She was almost raped by the guy who took that picture in her sleep, and I swear in front of all of you that you'll die by my hands if I see your skimpy ass near it again, are we clear?"

Regret started pooling in her eyes but I wasn't going to let go just because she felt a little bad. I shoved gray and Gajeel away even though it was completely unnecessary now since their grip loosened after I lashed out.

"Alright maybe I didn't think this through," Mira offered, a look of discomfort plastered on her powdered face.

"Yeah you didn't think. You can't. That's why you're working as a fucking barmaid and not a CEO, for crying out loud. Now go back behind that counter like the little idiot that you are and don't come out until I see those beer mugs crystal clear, alright?" I spat on the ground, grabbing Lucy's jacket since she ran off in a hurry. "That seems to be the only thing you're capable of."

"Alright that's enough." Said Erza, placing both her hands on the table like she fucking owned the place.

"Listen Erza, if you're trying to pin this on me I swear—"

"I'm not. I just think you have another thing you should be taking care of right now and she's been gone for a while." Her argument was solid and I slammed my mouth shut. "Go get your girlfriend and we'll handle things here," she said, a small look of worry crossing her eyes for less than a second. I didn't even bother to correct the fact that she wasn't my girlfriend, partly because I was mad out of my mind, and partly because even in this sort of state, hearing someone define us as a couple was pleasing to me.

Jellal lightly pushed Mirajane back into her chair and placed both of his hands on her shoulders in case she tried to escape. I looked back at Gray and Gajeel who both motioned for me to go after Lucy.

"It's okay, Natsu," Juvia mumbled, picking up the picture from the table and ripping it to pieces so that it was almost impossible for me to tell who the girl on it was. "This never happened."

I somehow mustered up a smile for her and ran out of the bar as though it was on fire.

I looked around for Lucy, but she was nowhere to be seen, of course, and I knew even before I tried calling her that she wouldn't answer.

The first thing I thought about was going home since I gave her a spare key and she could easily shelter herself there, but I was stopped by the thought that she'd probably go somewhere else since she knows that'd be the first place I'd look for her. I cast a helpless look around myself, running a hand through my hair in an attempt to calm myself, even though my nerves felt like they'd never be calm again. I looked at my car and decided to check out my house after all, since I had no better idea, and at least I wouldn't be standing here feeling like a useless prick. Not that I wasn't one.

My thoughts had been so preoccupied with Lucy that I almost didn't hear her small whimpers. My body froze as I reached for my car door, and I could place the barely audible cries coming from the side of the bar, in an alleyway. I turned around and dashed toward the sound, letting out a sigh of relief when I saw her standing there with her back turned toward me. "Hey," I mumbled, knowing very well that nothing I could say would bring comfort to her at this moment.

Her shoulders stiffened, and I could see her hands frantically wiping away the remains of her tears before she turned around with a smile on her face. I'd rather see her cry than see her smile like that. "What is it?"

"What is it? _What is it?_ My ex friend just showed that picture and you're seriously acting like nothing's wrong? Why are you still here? Why didn't you leave?" I shouted, my feet inching closer to her, when I noticed that she started backing off.

" _Leave?_ And _what?_ Do exactly what she wants me to? Go home and cry? No. I'm done with crying and running away like I did that time in the cafeteria."

I winced at the mention of that time, and my head flew to scratch the back of my neck at a lack of things to do. What was I supposed to say?

"You know what?" She challenged, running her fingers though her hair to improvise a comb, "I'm going back inside and finishing that damn game before everyone starts assuming I'm the biggest coward alive!"

"Listen blondie," I blurted, mentally slapping myself, " _Lucy._ I'm sorry this turned out the way it did but they just wanted to hurt me is all. You were never their target. I was! But they thought that the easiest way to get to me would be through you and they…"

 _And they were right._

"And they did all of those horrible things." I finished, gasping for air as though I'd coughed out an entire play on stage. My mind was racing and my heart followed suit. I had to turn away from her because if I saw that hurt expression one more time I was going to make someone pay with their head.

"Then are they really worth all of this?" She asked, her tone of voice barely audible that I had to turn around to make sure she actually said it. Her hands clawed at the shirt she was wearing, and her eyes stared down at her feet, "Your friends, I mean. Are they really worth all this trouble?" Her eyes found mine again, and a bitter half-smile appeared on her lips. "I'm not talking about the fact that they hurt me, but the fact that they wanted to hurt _you._ If they see how much effort you were putting up for this, shouldn't they just accept you back? And not do all of…" she waved her hands around, "this."

She was right. She was right about everything she said, and even though I'd really wanted to be on their good side again, I wasn't going to risk everything I'd built with this girl to be their friend again. I did everything right this evening, and it still wasn't enough. At least I'd know I gave it my all.

"Let's go." I said, turning to look at her with the best smile I could afford at a time like that. "I'll get you some hot chocolate and we can watch a movie or something."

She seemed disappointed that I didn't mend my ties with them, but walked towards me nonetheless. When I noticed that she was shivering I remembered the jacket in my hand, and helped her put it on. She thanked me, something I'd never grow tired of hearing, and we headed for the car. I kept my hand on her shoulders the entire time, looking around for someone else that may jump out and pounce at her. This entire night I'd done nothing for this girl and she'd just risked everything for me. And yet I was the one who claimed I had feelings for her.

"Natsu wait!"

We stopped dead in our tracks and turned around to see Gray and Erza. I stepped towards them, Lucy lagging behind near the car. They could probably see the anger bubbling up in my eyes since Gray raised his hands defensively and tried explaining himself right away, "Listen dude, I—"

"Apologize." Said Erza, cutting away anything Gray was trying to say. I looked at her with a smirk on my face, genuinely amused. She wanted me to apologize? I raised a brow in her direction. " _We_ want to apologize."

My jaw almost hit the floor.

"We do?" Gray asked, a confused expression dancing on his face. My eyes widened in a surprise that I most definitely couldn't hide.

" _Yes_ , we _do_." She continued, sighing uncomfortably. "Not so much to you as we do to your girlfriend." Again, I had to check my pulse to make sure I was alive and she was actually saying this. "We're going to Jellal's place to continue the party that Mira—that _all of us—_ ruined. So if you want to come with, we'll talk properly about everything that happened and—"

"Talk? You want us to talk?" I asked, crossing my eyes and stepping right in front of her. "I came here with that sort of intention and it took you half a night of teasing and making a girl cry so that you'd conclude you should so the same?" She tried to open her mouth to protest but I had no intention in hearing her out. "No Erza. I've had enough of your bullshit. So you can go back to your best fucking friends and you can tell them that they can all go and f—"

"Natsu?"

We turned toward Lucy, standing alone in the cold and shivering even though she had her jacket on. She smiled at me and pleaded with her eyes. "You should hear them out." I raised my eyebrows as though asking her if she was out of her mind. I started walking towards her but she just broadened her smile and pointed her head in their direction. "Please."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "How did Mira get that picture?"

"I'll ask her about it tomorrow," Gray offered.

"We'll be there." I said to the people I used to hang out with, not even bothering to turn around and look at them, before I opened the car door for this unbelievable girl and walked in myself.

* * *

"Just drop me off at home," Lucy argued for the fifth time that night, and screeched when I passed by our house _for the fifth time that night._ My head was spinning in circles and I couldn't grasp one rational thought and her constant blabbering was only making it worse. "Why are you just going around in circles? Just stop so I can go home and you can go talk to your friends!"

"I said _we'll_ be there. In case you suddenly forgot about what a plural pronoun is, it means that I was referring to the both of us!"

"No! They said they'll apologize so just go back there and talk to them. I don't need to do anything anymore."

"I'm not bringing you there so you can _do_ anything. I just want you to come and that's final. In case you plan on going all hulk on me and ripping that car door off, then I suggest you stay still."

She grunted and crossed her arms but didn't protest any longer. I exhaled the breath I didn't know I was holding in and the car sped towards the road I knew lead to Jellal's house. She didn't say a thing as we pulled up in the driveway, and I got out of the car.

We rang the doorbell and Jellal greeted us like we hadn't been together half an hour ago. I walked inside the living room where I could see everyone except for Mira. Guess they really planned to apologize.

My blondie hesitated a bit at the door, but walked in as soon as she saw that the white-haired she-devil wasn't around. We gave Jellal our jackets and I sat down on the sofa. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I noticed that Lucy sat down on the armchair far way from me. I chose this spot specifically so that she could be right next to me and yet she chose to sit there. I guessed I deserved that one.

Gray handed me a beer and Juvia gave Lucy a glass of red wine. I was about to tell her not to drink anymore but she took a sip the very second the wine glass was placed in her hand, so I decided against lecturing her and just relax for a bit.

The room was small and cramped with a three-person sofa, another loveseat sofa that I was currently occupying alone, and two armchairs all neatly placed around the coffee table swarmed with anything but coffee. They had beer, wine and vodka, and I could see some sort of chips and a yellow dip. Since Gray, Juvia and Erza were sitting on the other sofa, and Lucy and Gajeel were on the armchairs, I had to endure the fact that Jellal sat next to me like we were a couple.

"You may begin," I said, turning towards Erza since she was the one that stopped me in front of the bar.

"Listen Natsu, I didn't invite you here so that you could get some sort of group apology from us and a gift card to make you feel better. I'll speak for myself and I guess that I really should say sorry for treating Lucy," she said, turning to look at said girl, "Like it was her fault any of this happened. I was just so irritated by the fact that _someone,"_ she looked at Gray who raised his hands in protest, "Decided that it would be a good idea to invite you with us." She took another sip from her wine before turning her attention to me again, "And I'm sorry for openly showing my hate towards you but you turned into the sort of pig I want no connections with."

"Mira probably wants to apologize too," Jellal spoke up, "But she doesn't know how and she's just too hurt to even try."

"Let's not forget Dragneel fucked her sister like no tomorrow, then never called again."

I tuned to Gajeel and almost face-palmed myself. He was absolutely right. Mira was probably angry that I had my way with Lisanna and then never spoke to her.

"Hey, in my defense I made it painfully clear to her that there was nothing between us except sex." I said, tugging on the collar of my shirt to loosen the guilty feeling of having someone's hands around my throat. "And besides, it was a one time thing. I didn't even enjoy it."

"We're not here to talk about Lisanna's capabilities in bed," Erza cut off. "But I think that we're not the only people owing an apology."

I stared at each of them individually, a bit sad when I noticed that my girl was looking at her wine instead of me, but carried on nonetheless. "Yeah I guess you're right. I'm sorry too. For being a jerk that ditched you for girls, I mean."

"Bros before hoes man," Gajeel sounded, raising his glass in approval.

"I'll toast to that!" Jellal laughed and the atmosphere calmed down a bit.

* * *

Two hours later and my stomach hurt from laughing. The mood was back, the friends were back, and I was having the time of my life and I hadn't even fucked a single girl. My smile stretched out for the fifteenth time the past few minutes and I laughed to another one of the anecdotes Gray was retelling from his trip to France.

But I couldn't keep glancing at the hallway again. Lucy had gone to the bathroom ten minutes ago and she was still not back yet. I knew that she was having a good time since she was laughing and adding comments the entire time, but I got a bit worried since she hadn't appeared yet.

I ignored the catcalls and whistles I got when I said I'd go check on her, and closed the door to the living room when I walked out, blocking all the loud sounds and turning the volume down to a minimum. I paced around the hallway trying to locate the bathroom, and decided to check every possible door.

The first one I opened lead to a freaking closet filled with who knows what. The second one lead to a blue bedroom which I supposed was Jellal's. And just as the saying goes, I found her in the third door. Third time's a charm.

She was staring at the mirror, watching herself through half-lidded eyes. Her hair was a bit disheveled, messy strands sticking out here and there, but she didn't seem bothered by it. Instead she looked down to her hands and back up again. I had no idea what was going on. Her eyes looked a bit tired, dreamy even, and her lips were half-open.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, and she looked at me as though she'd noticed my presence right that very second. And she probably had.

"Oh, I, yes." Soft murmurs escaped her delicate lips as she walked up to me, urging me inside. I pushed the door so that I could enter the bathroom and stand right in front of her. A small smile graced her mouth as she leaned in closer. I had to take a step back so she wouldn't crash into me. I mean, I noticed that she'd been drinking but I never thought she was _that_ out of it.

"Um, I think you should rest." I muttered, carefully backing off.

"And I think," she took a step closer, her body almost pressing up to mine, as her hand reached for something behind me. I felt a lump in my throat, blinking in confusion when her hand slammed the door shut, and I was backed onto it. My back curled as it touched the wooden door, my eyes found hers. "I think you should shut the fuck up." She finished, her delicate forefinger pressing onto my lips to silence me. Not that I had anything to say, I mean.

My hands had trouble figuring out what do to and where to grab. I decided on playing the safe bet and put them inside my pockets so I don't do something I might regret later.

She removed her finger before putting it atop her own mouth, "shh." But the command was lost on her, and a small giggle erupted from behind the finger right away. She turned away from me and started walking towards the mirror again. "I can't take it anymoreee…" she wailed, running her hands through her hair as I concentrated on counting the tiles on the wall so that I don't push her inside the bathtub and—

 _Forty-seven tiles, forty-eight, forty-nine…_

"I caaan't take it anymore!" She chuckled, turning to look at me with her mouth pouted in fake worry.

Oh God.

 _Fifty-two, fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five…_

"It's too hot in this house. Anywhere I go it's just too hot!"

 _Sixty! Sixty-one, sixty-two…_

"And I'm just so hot…"

 _Sixty-five, sixty-seven, sixty… fuck that._

I practically ran up to her, my hands gripping the sides of her hips and pushed her against the wall. The look inside her eyes was challenging, as though she was daring me to do this. Daring me to do _her._

"Hot huh?" I whispered, driving my hips forward to clash into hers, "It's hot, hm?" My right hand detached itself with great sorrow, but soon found itself latched onto the back of her head, as I pulled her close to me. I grabbed her chin, but not with the hatred I'd had with Mirajane. No. This was something else. I raised her head so that she would look me straight in the eyes. "Look at me and tell me how hot you are, Lucy." I whispered, "I promise I can handle it."

"My shirt," she mumbled, not taking her eyes off of mine for one second, "is suffocating me."

I needed no further push but she still raised her hands as though inviting me. I pulled the shirt over her head so fast I almost ripped the material. She pushed her chest onto mine and just one look south told me that I'd never seen anything like that before. I parted my hips from hers to try and hide my growing excitement.

I stepped away and stared. Just stared at that body and wondered how I would ever be able to look at it in a shirt again. She needed to stop wearing clothes. And that bra…

Tugging on one of the straps lying peacefully on her shoulder, I blew a breath of hot air on her neck, feeling her loosen up. "You'd be a lot less hot and suffocated if we got this off." I mumbled, my other hand hanging dangerously low on her back, just centimeters away from her ass. I tried calming down but she was just so _inviting._

"Listen Lucy," I started, feeling the need to say something, "I've always wanted to do something to you. To do all sorts of things to you but… are you sure you want something like this?"

Her confused eyes watched me with such curiosity that it took me a while to comprehend that she understood nothing I said. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to pry my hands away from her body. Even when I pocketed them they still burned from the touch.

She looked around as if this was her first time seeing just where she was, and another smile found itself on her lips. She cocked her head to the side in surprise before she crouched down and sat on the floor. The cold tiles must've cooled her down a bit because she pointed towards her shirt, and to my great dismay, I had to put it back on her. The sight of her bra still excited me, and even though I was trying to stay calm and collected, one _part_ of me couldn't.

I exhaled loudly before scooping up the tired girl in my arms, and getting back on my feet.

* * *

I walked inside my bedroom with a cup of water in my hand to try and bring my roommate back to normal, but she was already fast asleep by the time I reached the bed. Her body lay beneath the covers, still in her party clothes since I couldn't trust myself to undress her without doing something _else._

The cup of water found itself on my bedside table, untouched, as I climbed into bed with her. I tried calming my racing heart and took a few deep breaths before I laid on my back and pulled her small frame on top of me. Her mascara was smudged, her hair was a mess, and her hands tugged on my shirt pulling me closer, but she was beautiful. She was the reason I lost interest in anyone else, and the reason the only kiss I wanted was from her, the only touch I wanted was from her, and the only body I desired was hers. My breathing calmed a bit, and I hugged her even closer to my chest.

"You got me good," I whispered, twirling a lock of her hair around my finger, my breaths slowly matching hers, as she mumbled something in her sleep. I knew she had no feelings for me _at the moment,_ but two single people living together was bound to change her mind. Or if that didn't change her mind, _I_ would.

"Yes, Lucy Heartfilia, you got me good." I smiled, relaxing against the pillows and closing my eyes soundly.

"But I'll get you better."

* * *

 **(A/N): You may think I have given up! But here I am!**

 **Life fucked me over so I kinda decided to stop doing anything in case that will explode in flames as well. But I have revived!**

 **Being in uni is making this a lot harder than it should be but I want to continue this story since I get a lot of reviews and messages asking for more. In case you guys are still somehow interested in this story, let me know so I will keep posting more chapters.**

 **I had to re-read the entire thing again, since I forgot half the things that happened, but I got my motivation back, and all the reviews I saw are making me fired up again! Let's goo!**

 **Think I should give this story another shot? Tell me! I will await my reviewers (if there still are any)**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: heyyy thereee *winks with both eyes***

* * *

 **21**

 **Martha Fucking Stewart**

* * *

Previously, on "How to Seduce a Lady": _I knew she had no feelings for me at the moment, but two single people living together was bound to change her mind. Or if that didn't change her mind, I would.  
"Yes, Lucy Heartfilia, you got me good" I smiled, relaxing against the pillow and closing my eyes soundly.  
"But I'll get you better." _

* * *

"I said _what?"_ She screamed in horror, and I laughed even harder than before.

It took her twelve hours of sleep to finally open those eyes of hers, and two espresso shots to get up and greet the day. I'd woken up a few hours before her so I tried busying myself with browsing through social media accounts and playing games so that I wouldn't have the time to think of the fact that I had a passed out hot chick in my bed just waiting for me.

"Could you please repeat that because there is no way that—"

"I'm too _hot!"_ I shouted with passion, running my hands all over my body to make it look a lot worse that it had been, but teasing her was just so much fun I couldn't get enough of it.

"You've got to be kidding me," She wailed, "I don't believe this for a second!" But the terrified glint in her eyes told me that she did. I didn't want to make her feel worse about it so I guessed I had to calm her down a bit.

"I didn't do anything if that's what you're afraid of." I said, making the atmosphere around us a bit more serious. "Listen, I know that I act in a way that can make you think I would devour you, but I really didn't do anything."

She stared at me, probably weighing my words in her head, and wondering if I was speaking the truth or not. A small sigh escaped her lips, and she nodded. She'd probably decided that since she couldn't remember anything it was best to just believe me and not trouble herself.

"I did take off your shirt though."

"You _what!?"_

I dodged the pillow she threw with all her might and made a leap through the door to try and save myself before she did who knew what to me. I could hear her loud yelling but I couldn't distinguish between the words as I scurried inside the master bathroom to try and lock myself inside before she reached the door. But the fact that her foot jammed between the door and the wall told me that I wouldn't be going anywhere. She stomped inside, arms crossed and eyebrows knitted together.

"You did _what_?"

A sigh creeped its way between my lips and I knew I was defeated. There was no way that she would ever let this go. "Well, you see…" My hand scratched the back of my neck as my brain searched for a valid reason to take a drunk girl's shirt off. What was I supposed to say? You offered and I couldn't resist? You were so _hot_ I almost jumped you in that bathroom?

Which reminded me that we were in a bathroom now as well. Delightful images of last night flooded my imagination and my eyes widened at the thought that she was still wearing the same clothes. The same girl, the same shirt, the same bathroom setting… Endless swirls of scenarios mingled in my mind and she was shirtless in every single one of them. A small smirk graced my lips as I imagined the way she would look at me with those hooded eyes just like she had the night before. And she would beg me to take her shirt off and I would have to do it, not that I was complaining. And then we would slam our bodies together, the room temperature rising in an instant! My hands are all over her body and hers latch onto my hair as she pulls me closer for a deep, wet ki—

"OH MY GOD! I can't believe you!" Lucy—the real, nonimaginary Lucy—almost shouted my brains out. "You're thinking about it, aren't you?"

I shook my head vigorously.

" _Aren't you?"_

This time I shook my head a bit slower and I could feel blush creeping into my cheeks. I banished those steamy scenes from my mind but the afterthought remained.

"I can't believe this!" she yelled, waving her arms around as though she could chase my thoughts away like clouds of mist.

My phone's ringtone sounded at that exact moment, saving me from a beating I was sure I would be getting if I didn't answer her questions. I mumbled an excuse about taking the call and left the premises with a small sigh of relief. The phone number that appeared on the screen was not registered in my contact list so I stared at it for a few seconds before answering.

"This the pink haired dude I spoke to last time?" The voice from the other side of the line was a bit familiar, but I couldn't exactly place it.

"Uh, yeah dude, what's up?"

"Your little girl is here again, in case you needed another report."

A small _ooh_ sound almost escaped me, and I nodded even though he couldn't see my nonverbal responses. As I thought of what to say next I heard Lucy's light footsteps stop at the entrance of the living room, not wanting to interfere but still wanting to listen to what was going on.

"Yeah man, thanks. I'll be there."

"This some next-level Lolita shit if you ask me, but I guess you have your reasons."

"Yeah," I mumbled, "reasons."

* * *

Guilt pressed _hard_ on my chest as I drove towards the bakery where the little girl was. Sunday was reserved for visits to my mother, and yet there I was speeding towards my probable cousin. One side glance toward Lucy gave me the confidence boost I needed and I gripped the steering wheel harder this time.

I'd urged her to get ready fast since I didn't know how long Wendy would be there. I'd put on a random t-shirt I found in my closet and some sweatpants tossed on the chair in my room. This was no time for dressing up.

Lucy was ready in two minutes as well. Light blue jeans and an oversized white t-shirt. I didn't mind the look at all. She could put her head through a hole in a garbage bag and it would still look like the world's greatest dress. I ushered her outside and into the car with me. She didn't protest or complain that I was giving her a tour-de-Natsu these days and just taking her everywhere with me, and I was grateful for that. There was no way in hell that I would be able to do this alone.

"I'll buy you anything you want to eat since you didn't get to have breakfast." I said, turning to look at her as I spoke.

"Don't worry about it." She said, a small ghost of a smile passing through her lips. This angel was the highlight of my lifetime and yet I couldn't even take proper care of her.

I banished those thoughts from my head as I parked in front of the bakery and hurried out of the car. I jogged around it to open Lucy's door for her even though she never asked for it and was kind of surprised when I did.

"Don't do that Natsu," She giggled, watching me close it after her, "I may get used to it."

"I want to make you used to a lot of good things, Lucy." I said, watching her abruptly stop and stare at me as I turned around towards the bakery, hiding my blush.

* * *

The hanging door bell jingled as Lucy walked in after me, trailing behind as I sat down on one of the few unoccupied tables. She made herself comfortable on the seat facing mine, and ordered a simple English breakfast with some orange juice. I got myself some tea since coffee would make me even more nervous.

My eyes scanned the perimeter and I almost screamed when I saw her. Wendy sat at the back of the bakery, the other three seats occupied by girls her age, all of them nibbling on some donuts and drinking what appeared to be milkshakes. I turned towards Lucy and inclined my head in their direction so that she could see where our target was.

She glanced at them and nodded, unable to verbalize a response because her mouth was filled with a bite of toast and some bacon. I chuckled at the way she scarfed down almost half the mean before I even tried my tea, glad that she'd waited until we got here to eat even though she was _that_ hungry.

"You haven't eaten since before we went to Fairy Tail last night and I kept you hungry until now…" I said, which sounded more like an observation than me feeling guilty.

"If that's your weird way of apologizing, it's fine," she smiled, taking a sip of her juice.

And yet she was right this time as well. I'd fucked up a billion times in front of her, but the times I apologized could be counted on one hand… if I even apologized at some point.

"I'm sorry."

She stopped chewing to look me dead in the eyes, confusion distorting her features and clouding her mind. I couldn't bear the weight of her gaze and instead turned to look towards Wendy again.

"Not just about this."

My eyes trailed from the little girls toward the other customers, looking at anything except the person I was actually talking to.

"About everything."

She didn't reply and instead remained silent, the tastiness of her food long forgotten. I tried to busy myself by putting some sugar in my cup of tea and stirring it till the little cubes dissolved, but my mind was still on her. I allowed myself to look up for just a second, long enough to see that she was still staring at me before I lowered my gaze again.

"Dragneel, if I didn't know you I'd say you were actually being nice to me."

A small laugh escaped her lips, an obvious attempt to lighten the atmosphere around us and return things back to the way they were. I was thankful for that, but it also felt somewhat wrong. I had been ignoring my feelings for so long that I was actually relieved to have apologized to her.

"I _am_ being nice." I said, forcing myself to look her in the eyes. "You deserve nice, Lucy. Hell, you deserve a lot more than nice but that is all I can give at this moment." Words seemed to rip through my vocal cords and drop down my mouth as though unintentionally. But I meant everything I said. "I know that I can be a real bastard but that was some sort of façade or something. Deep down I can be a really good person, and my life before could prove that to you. I don't know why I'm saying this right now," I mumbled, running my hand through my hair in exasperation, "I guess I just want you to think of me as someone worthy to talk to you."

Her lips stretched out in a gentile smile, "I know that. The first few weeks not so much. I was even convinced that you hated me. But your true self started seeping through the cracks little by little."

"Yes, but that doesn't pay off the fact that I treated you like human garbage the first time." I said sternly, directing my anger towards nobody but myself. "If only I could go back in time and just—"

"There's no need for statements like that." She assured, "I know you're a good person and you've proven it enough times already."

"I've also proven myself to be quite the idiot as well." I said, still not able to forgive myself for the way I treated this angelic creature worthy only of respect. "But don't worry, I'll prove it to you. I'll prove that I can be someone that you can rely on."

"I'm already relying on you enough as it is." She waved me off, putting on a reassuring smile, "I live in your house in case you've forgotten. And I haven't given you a single dollar of rent money."

"The fact that you're here is payment enough."

That shut her up. She thought she knew what I was doing, and that I would finish by joking around or just stop after saying a few nice things to her but I wanted to say everything. I wanted to get down on my knees and thank her for bringing such a change into my life. For giving me so much courage and support. For not leaving my ass down in the dumps and finding a better place with a better roommate. Instead I said that she was payment enough because that seemed like a worthy phrase.

Before she could even think of what to reply I slid my hand across the table and placed it atop her own, watching as her eyes found mine.

"I want you to trust that I am a decent person."

"Natsu, I _know_ you are decent person. You just needed time to show it." Her hand turned sideways so that it could grip mine, and I found comfort in her smile. "You just needed time."

"No, Lucy." I squeezed her hand harder, afraid that she might let go, "I just needed you."

Her mouth opened and closed for a lack of a better response. My tea was growing colder by the second, and so was her breakfast, but she didn't seem to mind.

"I thought it might me you guys!"

Our hands shot apart as we half-jumped in surprise, startled by the little blue-haired girl's sudden appearance. She cocked her head to the side, as though examining us, before a big smile graced her features. "I knew it was you!"

"We sure meet here a lot, don't we?" Lucy was the first to speak, smoothing down her hair as though it wasn't smooth all ready, the gesture simply giving her something to do while she composed herself.

"Yes! What are you doing?"

"I'm here for some tea and the drunk lady over there is having some breakfast."

"Hey!" Lucy protested, laughing nonetheless, "Who're you calling drunk?"

"Breakfast!" Wendy shouted, "At two in the afternoon?"

"Well you got me there." She shook her head, playfully glaring at me for exposing her secret.

The conversation was going nowhere fast, and I needed to twist it into my desired direction before Wendy went back to her friends. Carefully circling around the subject, not quite sure how to approach it, I tried doing it as smoothly as possible.

"How's your family?"

Wow. Subtle.

"They're good! But mommy and daddy work too hard for their own good." She said, a look of displeasure crossing her face for a minute before she dismissed it as though it held to importance at this point. "What about your families?"

"That's what I'd like to know," I mumbled quietly, watching Lucy grimace at me from the other side of the table. I wasn't being smooth at all.

"Remember the aunt you were telling us about last time?" Lucy asked. "What's she up to nowadays?"

Wendy gave her a long hard stare without budging. She was probably suspicious that people she knew nothing about were asking about her aunt like they were part of the big happy family. Why would two strangers even care about a person they've never met before? I understood that she needed to be cautious about all of this. She glanced towards me briefly before redirecting her attention to my young blonde companion. "She's great! She made me an origami dragon the other day!"

Well so much for being cautious.

"And where does she live?" I blurted, Lucy's jaw dropping in surprise. I almost slapped myself and sort of wished that she'd dive across the table and do it for me. _Where does she live?_ Seriously? _That's_ what I came up with? I tried thinking of something to smooth over what I'd just said when Wendy spoke.

"Oh! I can take you there!"

I slammed my head on the table.

A HOPELESS CASE!

She could lead a serial killer right into her bedroom and show him her My Little Pony collection!

But even though she was a bit aloof and dangerous to her own wellbeing, she could still lead us to where I needed to go, and that's what I came for in the first place, right?

"Alright then," I started, still completely taken aback by her response, "When can you do that?"

She stared at me, blinking as though confused by my question. "Now?"

"What about your friends, though?" Lucy asked, and we both turned around, suddenly reminded that she hadn't been alone when we saw her in the first place. But the table where she'd been sitting was unoccupied. I turned toward her expecting an explanation.

"Oh. Well we got up to go home when I saw you guys and I decided to stay and see you."

The statement evoked a smile, and I reminded myself that this was probably my cousin that I was talking to, and that we'd have been a lot closer by now if I hadn't been… well. Nothing I can do about it now.

I immediately called the waiter and demanded to pay the bill, anxious to get to wherever it was this quest was taking me.

Wendy seemed happy to have something interesting to do, and she was as eager as I was to go to the place where my destiny would unfold. I almost ran out of there right that very second, but something stopped me. I turned around and motioned for Wendy to sit down next to me, earning confused looks from both of the ladies.

"It can wait," I said, smiling at Lucy, "You haven't finished your breakfast yet."

* * *

We'd been walking for the past fifteen minutes, all because Lucy thought it would be weird to have Wendy in my car. Which if I was being completely honest, made a lot of sense. Two strangers driving around with a girl they knew nothing about? It screamed 'wrong'.

She was explaining to Wendy the dangers of talking to people you knew nothing about, but it seemed like all her advice was in vain since Wendy was still with us even after hearing all the examples of kidnappings Lucy was king enough to provide her with.

I lagged behind them, dragging my feet as though I didn't want to get there. Did I though?

Did I really want to throw away my life as I knew it by that point, and venture into the great unknown like that? Was I even ready? Who's to say I wont bolt out of there the second I lay my eyes on that couple? And what if they didn't want to be found? A walking flashback strolling across their front porch and ringing the fucking doorbell like he _won't_ fuck their entire lives up was probably _not_ the way they planned their Sunday to go.

I could still hear Lucy's words in front of me, even though I'd strayed further back since I was a coward. "And remember to always scream if anyone tries to grab you. Vladimir Nabokov may have died but his ghost can still find little girls like you and-"

"Here it is!"

A lump made its home in the depths of my dry throat as I mentally slammed my breaks and stood with my eyes closed. I could hear a slight "wow" escape Lucy's lips but it still took me a few seconds before I was ready to meet my maker. Literally.

My eyes opened to reveal the home I probably would have grown up in had I not been placed up for adoption. My breaths came up short and my hands started sweating.

It was a normal-looking house in the middle of a quiet street. The lawn was green and I could _swear_ there were dewdrops on every blade of grass that just added to the freshness. A white picket fence encircled the territory, pausing only in front of the driveway that led to a garage I couldn't see the interior of since it was closed. Small stone circle-shaped steps lead toward the front door of the small but comfortable-looking one storey home.

I looked around the street lined with houses that looked at lot like this one, and turned back to stare at Lucy.

"Shit."

She looked at me with a frown, before walking up to wrap her hands around my torso. I used the opportunity to lay my head on her shoulder and hug her back even tighter. I would greedily accept any source of physical contact I could get.

"What's wrong?" She asked in a whisper, probably not wanting Wendy to overhear. "You didn't expect it to be like this?"

"Honestly Lucy, I don't know what I expected." I mumbled, still not ready to let go. "But I definitely wasn't this. I thought my family abandoned me because they didn't have the means and resources necessary to bring up a family, or that they were bad people mingling with the wrong crowds or— _ugh,"_ I squeezed her even harder, "—I just didn't think they were this normal suburban family living next to Martha Fucking Stewart and hosting barbecue yard parties every Saturday."

She pulled back, but not without squeezing my hand for added support.

"It's okay, babe."

 _BABE?_

 _The fuck?_

My eyes widened in surprise, and the fact that she covered her mouth with her hand in confusion proved to me that she didn't know what she was saying either. It just came out naturally.

We both took one step back in unison, more surprised than ever. Her, because she'd actually said something like that; and me, because she still didn't correct herself.

The three words hung heavily in the air, making my lips curve upwards in a smirk.

I was happiness itself.

The girl I'd chosen as my own had actually called me babe like it was the most normal thing in the world, and _fuck,_ I wished it _was._

She finally opened her mouth in protest, "Listen, about what I just said… I didn't—"

A small squeaking sound interrupted whatever it was she was about to say, grabbing our attention so fiercely that we both turned our heads toward its' source at the same time.

It was the door to the house.

 _The_ house.

I sucked in a breath of air, feeling my blood turn cold.

 _Wendy was already inside._

* * *

 **(A/N):** a small warning: I have been "proofreading" this little bitch for the past 20 minutes now if by proofreading you mean staring at a bunch of blurred dots waiting for them to turn into letters I can fucking comprehend since I didn't sleep a wink last night SO YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH MY MISTAKES.

 ** _ALSO! I cannot_ _stress this enough:_ You guys managed to write 114 reviews since I posted the last chapter. **

**What ?**

 **Thanks a lot! If I knew this story had so much interest I probably would've tried to make time for it earlier. But still, I'm really glad I came back to this community since I've forgotten the pleasures of reading what other people have to say about something you've written!**

 **Thank you so much for your continued support! I wouldn't be anywhere near here if you guys didn't post all those reviews!**

 **Thank you for reading this chapter, and although it's a bit shorter than the other ones, uni has me running around all day so I can't really concentrate on BREATHING without thinking to myself "You could be studying now but nooooo u want to breatheee"**

 **Sleep is my favorite activity of the day.**

 **Thanks again even though I probably bored you to death with all this thanking...**

 **Keep sending me your love my babies!**

* * *

with keys, through flames! aye!


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